Earthquake on the Hayward Fault
Yesterday morning, the San Francisco Bay area was struck by an earthquake. It caused many buildings to collapse but injured surprisingly few people.
At 8:12 a.m. PDT, the quake caused a McHenry's Auto Supply building at 2342 Plum St. to partially collapse. This killed two people and injured six others.
"The number of injuries and deaths is surprisingly low. The residents in nearby buildings could have experienced similar situations," Hayward Fire Department public information officer Jennifer Vu said.
Hayward resident Mike Beamer lives across the street from the auto supply shop. He said he felt everything shake violently around him for about 30 seconds.
"I was finishing my breakfast of waffles and bacon when the room started rolling. About half way through it, I heard a large crash and dove under my table just as a chunk of cement crashed through my kitchen window. Then, I began to hear screaming and cries for help," Beamer said.
Hayward firefighters rushed to the building and used ropes to stabilize it. They then searched the building and sealed of the gas leaks inside while other emergency vehicles arrived.
"Twenty-one fire personnel, twelve police, and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building collapse, some arriving within 4 minutes of the quake," Vu said.
According to U.S. Geological Survey scientist Penny Gertz, the epicenter under the Hayward Hills measured 6.4 on the Richter Scale.
"The earthquake occurred on the Hayward Fault that runs underneath the hills. It was relatively strong, and the destruction could have been much more devastating," Gertz said.
Three of the six people injured from the building collapse required hospitalization. They were quickly transported to Hayward General Hospital, according to Vu.
"There were no other reports of serious injuries in Hayward," Vu said.
The earthquake shook a lot more ground farther outside of Hayward. The total number of injuries reported was very low, but the earthquake shook a massive portion of California's coast.
"People as far south as Las Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the quake," Gertz said.
At 8:12 a.m. PDT, the quake caused a McHenry's Auto Supply building at 2342 Plum St. to partially collapse. This killed two people and injured six others.
"The number of injuries and deaths is surprisingly low. The residents in nearby buildings could have experienced similar situations," Hayward Fire Department public information officer Jennifer Vu said.
Hayward resident Mike Beamer lives across the street from the auto supply shop. He said he felt everything shake violently around him for about 30 seconds.
"I was finishing my breakfast of waffles and bacon when the room started rolling. About half way through it, I heard a large crash and dove under my table just as a chunk of cement crashed through my kitchen window. Then, I began to hear screaming and cries for help," Beamer said.
Hayward firefighters rushed to the building and used ropes to stabilize it. They then searched the building and sealed of the gas leaks inside while other emergency vehicles arrived.
"Twenty-one fire personnel, twelve police, and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building collapse, some arriving within 4 minutes of the quake," Vu said.
According to U.S. Geological Survey scientist Penny Gertz, the epicenter under the Hayward Hills measured 6.4 on the Richter Scale.
"The earthquake occurred on the Hayward Fault that runs underneath the hills. It was relatively strong, and the destruction could have been much more devastating," Gertz said.
Three of the six people injured from the building collapse required hospitalization. They were quickly transported to Hayward General Hospital, according to Vu.
"There were no other reports of serious injuries in Hayward," Vu said.
The earthquake shook a lot more ground farther outside of Hayward. The total number of injuries reported was very low, but the earthquake shook a massive portion of California's coast.
"People as far south as Las Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the quake," Gertz said.
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