Arson suspect arrested in San Mateo County storage facility fire

PIX Now afternoon edition 5-20-24

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Department has announced that a suspect has been detained following an arson investigation into a fire that badly damaged a storage facility.

Eight storage units were damaged by a trailer fire that spread to a storage facility in San Mateo County's Princeton-by-the-Sea community early Saturday morning. 

The fire was reported at about 1:30 a.m. at Princeton Storage Co., located at 199 Airport St., in the unincorporated coastal community north of Half Moon Bay. 

Firefighters from Cal Fire, the Coastside Fire Protection District, and the North County Fire Authority responded and were able to contain the flames by 6:30 a.m. Nobody was injured.

The business' owner, Judy Baskin, said she flew in from Austin, Texas after hearing the news. She said she could not yet confirm how much damage was caused. Initial damage estimates are believed to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.

She said no employees were at the business at the time, but a customer was present.

She described one of the eight units as "badly" damaged. The others largely had smoke damage. Some siding was also destroyed. 

The suspect, identified as 29-year-old William A. Caneitzep of Moss Beach, was located by Sheriff's deputies at around 8:30 on Saturday night, at which point he was arrested and booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility for arson. 

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