2 children hurt, gas fire erupts after car crashes in Oakland Hills

OAKLAND -- Two children were taken to a hospital after a vehicle crashed into a structure and caught fire in the Oakland Hills Saturday afternoon.

The incident was initially reported as a building fire but Oakland Fire battalion chief James Bowron said they were later informed that a vehicle had struck a building and caught fire in the area of Serrano Circle and Redwood Road.

According to Bowron at least two adults and "several" children were in the vehicle at the time of the crash, sometime after 5 p.m. Two children were taken to a hospital with minor injuries. The children were not burned but were hurt in the crash impact. The other occupants of the vehicle were released at the scene.

According to Bowron, the vehicle struck the building with force and a residential gas main was sheared in the crash. A Pacific Gas and Electric crew was on the scene to dig up the street and clamp the transmission line leading to the house.

Fire crews held the flames in check, opting to let the gas blaze burn. The air was monitored to ensure residents of the area were safe, according to Bowron.

The gas was shut off and the incident was declared as "under control" shortly before 8 o'clock. 

Police told Bowron it appeared there had been a brake failure with the vehicle as it came down Campus Drive and the driver may have hit a curb or landscaping and lost control. No one was in the house at the time of the collision and fire. There were no plans to evacuate the area.

In:
• Oakland Fire Department