Earthquake Story

Monday morning a major earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area killing 2 and 
injuring 6. Most of the damage came from a building housing McHenry’s Auto Supply at 2342 
Plum St. that partially collapsed. The earthquake was said to be felt as far as Los Angeles.

The earthquake occurred at 8:12AM Monday morning.

"I was eating my breakfast when the room started rolling," said Hayward resident Mike Beamer.

Hayward resident, Mike Beamer's apartment is across the street from McHenry’s.

"I dove under the table just as I heard an explosion outside and a chunk of cement flew through my 

kitchen window. That’s when the screaming start across the street," said Mike Beamer.

The building's partial collapse killed two people and injured six others.

Names of the dead are being withheld pending notifications of families, said Jennifer Vu, a public 

information officer from the Hayward Fire Department.

Twenty-one fire personnel, 12 police and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building

collapse. 

"Some arrived within four minutes of the quake," said Jennifer Vu.

Hayward firefighters used ropes to stabilize the auto supply shop, conducting a search of the 

building and capped a gas line after detecting a gas leak at the site.

"There was a distinct smell, you could tell something had been busted open," said Mike Beamer.

Three of the six people injured were hurt seriously enough to require hospitalization and were 

transported to Hayward General Hospital.

"No other serious injuries have been reported in Hayward," added Vu.

The epicenter of the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale, was under

 the Hayward Hills, according to Penny Gertz, a scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo 

Park. 

"The earthquake was a “strong one," Gertz said.

It occurred on the Hayward Fault, which runs under the hills.

"People as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the quake," said Penny Gertz.

Mike Beamer said he felt a rolling motion that lasted for about 30 seconds, with a big jolt 

coming in the middle.

"The feeling of constant movement with nothing to hold onto will scare you almost as much 

as the noise," said Mike Beamer.