14-year-old allegedly crashes into gas lines at Seaside building, fire sparks later

UPDATE 3:08 p.m.: What started out as a car accident turned into a fire an hour later Wednesday night at apartment complex on Flores St. in Seaside. On Thursday, people stopped by the area to see the damage.

There’s a burnt doorway and boarded up portions of the apartment complex. Police said a 14-year-old driver, crashed into the building, causing a gas leak and later a fire caught the building on fire, leaving residents stranded.

“When the vehicle drove through the apartment unit, apartment complex, it sent some sort of electrical jolt and about approximately hour, to hour and a half later a fire appeared in the ending units,” Seaside Battalion Chief Paul Blaha said.

PG&E worked on the gas leak Wednesday night and secured the electricity and gas. But Blaha said no one predicted a fire, as he and his team went back to the station after tending to the accident and hour later they were back putting out 2-alarm fire.

“Both incidents were caused by an under aged, unlicensed driver. So if there was a message to be sent out there it’s for the parents, don’t allow your children to drive especially since they don’t have a driver’s license,” Blaha said.

Police said the teen did not steal the car. She was cited for hit and run and driving without a license. No injuries were reported.

UPDATE 5/21/2015: A 14-year-old driver is suspected of crashing into an apartment building just before 6 p.m. Wednesday in the 1700 block of Flores Street in Seaside, knocking out gas lines and trying to run from the scene, police said.

Seaside Police said both the female driver and passenger were quickly apprehended and no injuries were reported. Officers said the driver also hit several parked cars on Flores St. and Mingo Ave. before hitting the building.

Wednesday night, crews said a fire sparked at the apartment building while the gas lines were being fixed. Crews said nearby buildings were evacuated.

Seaside police said fire crews responded and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

PREVIOUS STORY: Seaside police officers have blocked off Flores Street in Seaside Wednesday night after a fire broke out at an apartment complex, police said.

The incident happened just before 9 p.m. on the 1700 block of Flores Street. Police said three families were displaced.

Officers said a crash earlier Wednesday is linked to this fire. They said a car that crashed into the same apartment building hit a gas line causing a gas leak.

Two people were inside the vehicle, the adult driver and a juvenile, police said. The driver tried to flee but was caught and arrested.

PG&E crews and Seaside Firefighters are also on scene.

The incident is under investigation.

News Channel 5 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.