thank you. thank you so much. thank you. >> a grateful woman thanks her rescuer after surviving a close call during a south bay fire. good afternoon. i'm tori campbell. cleanup is well underway after a three-alarm fire early this morning in san jose. it happened on madden avenue at an apartment complex for seniors which complicated the

rescue effort. tori moriarty joins us live with the cause behind this fast- moving fire. >> reporter: the official cause behind this cause, accidental. we're now getting a better look at the devastation it caused. 16 people who live in this building are now displaced. one woman didn't make it out alive almost. [ sirens ] >> reporter: flames shot 30 feet into the air. neighbors knocked on doors try to wake people up at 1:30 this morning in an apartment complex off madden avenue. >> we know there are a lot of residents that live in this community. so life hazard becamure primarily concern. >> reporter: it took nearly 60 firefighters to squelch the flames. one man what shot this video said someone woke him yelling fire! fire! >> everybody heard screaming. >> bill lopez saved a woman

trapped inside her burning apartment. >> got up there, tore the screen off. >> reporter: lopez later shared a hug with the woman he rescued from the fire. miraculously, she only suffered minor smoke inhalation. >> thank you. thank you very much. >> reporter: another woman suffered third degree burns on her feet and endured a cardiac event. she's schully in serious -- actually in serious condition. as far as this investigation goes, frills -- officials are looking at whether a space heater is to blame. >> all right. thank you, tara. authorities in the north bay are look for a serial arsonist, more fires were reported today. coming up at 12:30, why they say the danger might get worse if they don't catch the person

who set the -- who is setting the fires. one bill has been introduced in response to the deadly san bruno explosion. the announcement came late this morning. under the bills regulators and utilities would be forced to immipment n. it sb regulations. whistle-brecher protection could would be -- ntsb regulations. whistle-protection would be in place. >> unfortunately, regulators at the p.u.c. did not have a -- utilities were gambling with the public safety. less money spent on safety and pipe protection. that needs to change.

>> pipeline safety bills are being introduced this week. tensions have gotten a little higher at a bay area licorice factory. we have a continuing -- we have continuing coverage on a story we've been following all morning. kraig debris has more. >> reporter: we're right in the middle of a conflict. see that truck? they are blocking it. that truck is trying to get in. they are not allowing it. i started to say all is quiet now. but as you can see, that's changed in the past few seconds. [chanting] >> reporter: striking vehicles blocking vehicles not one vehicle crossed. workers have been walking the picket line for a month. this morning the numbers raised

eye browse -- eyebrows. the union says they are getting a huge boost of momentum from yck pie oakland. members showed up at 5:30 a.m. >> i think this is the first time that the occupy movement at least in oakland has come out and struck and walked with -- on a picket with a group of workers. strikers are here today because they say this could be them tomorrow. >> i want to be out there to support him. the next time my contract is up, that could be mean. >> reporter: the company that makes the popular vine lick row kish has -- licorice company

had no comment. >> you need the healthcare, we are giving all that we have left. >> could be a small victory for the picketers out here. that truck appears to be backing up. 15 minutes ago a truck just like that one had a police escort all the way down the street, eventually made it into the property. reporting live in union city, kraig debro, ktvu channel 2 news. >> thank you, kraig. oakland police arrested six people after they say protesters targeted headquarters and a downtown business. windows nearth and broadway are boarded up after being smashed during an occupy oakland march on friday. one of our news vance was vandalized and there were tires slashed. president obama is making a major announcement this noontime about a shakeup of his white house staff. william daly is stepping down

as white house chief of staff. the president is making this announcement right now in washington, d.c. daly reportedly gave his letter of resignation last week. let's listen in it. >> by my side at the white house. as he will soon find out, choi is only a phone call a -- chicago is only a phone call away and i will be using that phone number quite a bit. i plan to seek his counsel in the years to come. i have every confidence that jack will make sure we don't miss a beat and -- i want to thank, once again, bill, for his extraordinary service but alsos had extraordinary friendship and loyalty to me. it's meant a lot. i want to congratulate jack on his new role.

i know he will do a job. >> thank you. >> good luck. >> you've been listening live to president obama there announcing that william daly is leave as white house chief of staff. he -- daly was commerce secretary under former director and the change will be effective at the end of the month. federal authorities this morning announced the arrest of a man they say planned a series of terrorist attacks around tampa, florida. investigators described 25-year- old sami as an islamic extremist. they say he was born in the former yugoslavia and is a naturalize american citizen. the fbi said he made a downpayment to an undercover agent for an automatic rifle and homemade explosion. he's charged with one count of

intended use of a weapon of mass destruction. san francisco chief greg sur delivered the keynote address and he was surprised when the fire alarm went off. we gotta go? >> the chiefs had to leave the room but it turned out to be a false alarm. a trial starts today in a discrimination suit against the richmond police department. seven african-american police officers accuse the department and the police chief of denying them promotions and telling racist jokes. police chief chris magnus denies any wrongdoing. claiming his officers oppose him because he's white and gay. republican presidential candidates are now in the final stretch in new hampshire.

the nation's first primary takes place tomorrow. the candidates are campaigning across the state. mitt romney who won the caucuses hold a comfortable lead in preprimary polls but his front-runner status is drawing fire. according to a cbs national poll romney leads in 1%. gingrich is second with 15% and rick santorum is close behind with 12%. polls could get tighter and romney's lead to be -- lead could diminish. the next primary is the south carolina primary on january 31st. ktvu and ktvu.com will bring

you complete coverage. ken pritchett is in new hampshire and will bring us errors today on lateert editions of the -- later editions on the news. ahead, see a thrill seeker who got a lot more than expected when she bungee jumped and the cord break. and rosemary is here to tell us how much rain is coming up. investigators are continuing the investigation after seven suspicious fires happen overnight.

this morning residents on richmond's maricopa avenue surveyed the damage done by a drunk driver. priss say a woman in her 30s hit several parked cars overnight before she ended up pinned in the vehicle. paramedics took her tonight hot -- took her to the hospital. some windows were splashed in, a speed limit sign was knocked over. neighbors called 911. police were able to call the scene by a trail of defree. the highway patrol arrested 60 people for drinking and driving. and ten of those were under 1.

a sergeant said many of the drunk drivers had teens in the car with them. overall, the chp made00 dui arrests last year. authorities are looking for a serial arson theist -- arsonist. here's more. >> reporter: black and burned up grass suffered -- covered a small section of the park. these are the remnants of the 30 suspicious fires that have happened in novato over the last 4 hours. >> this is the work of an arson or arsonists. >> reporter: ten fires happened last night, close to 20 the night before. many close to hundreds of homes. >> i didn't see any fires but i certainly smelled a fire smell. i knew there was something burning. >> the most recent fire

happened at 1:30 in the rush creek open space preserve. you have to walk a mile and a half to get to the fire. ten hours after it started, fire crews were still out there putting out hot spots. a cluster burned about three quarters of an acre. residents are worried. >> we're so dry, we haven't had much rain. it could potentially put houses at risk. >> reporter: police have no conkeep leads. but they have -- concrete leads but they will test some items to see if they test positive for accelerants. one man was treated for burns and smoke inhalation at the fire at 1:30 a.m. more than 50 people were forced out of their homes -- their homes. ed lee announced the

replacement for ross mirkarimi's -- ross mirkarimi. >> i'm extremely hampy to -- happy to announce the replacement for ross mirkarimi. she's a former resident of the san francisco planning commission. she will represent district 5 which includes the lower haight- ashbury and parts of the inner sunset neighborhoods. the man who previously had that job but he begins with what he calls a cloud hanging under him. the district attorney's office is investigating that he abused his wife. a neighbor gave video and cell phone text that says she says -- that she says proves he hurt

her wife's arm. she was by his side' took the office. the fda is warning people about a possible drug mixup that could be dangerous. they say if you have any of these over the counter pills -- >> the expiration date is 12 -- 12/20/2014, you can nowed news them -- you should not use them. you can contact the company for a refund. an australian woman look for a thrill in africa got a lot more than she expected. it was new year's eve. erin langworthy was bungee jump ming when you see right there -- jumping when you see right

there, the rope snapped and she -- >> i felt like i had been flapped all over. her legs were still tied you and and she got caught underwater. she was pulled from the water. she called it a miracle. she did not suffer any serious injuries other than bruises and scrapes. the bungee company's operations -- says they are safe and they've replaced the broken request equipment -- the broken equipment. good afternoon. outside of the bay, we have a little bit of haze there. our air quality, good to moderate across the region. today not as warm but we'll still be above average in some cases. we still have a very light offshore breeze and that's keeping any fog from creeping ut coast line -- up the coast line. you can see most of us holding steady. upper 50s, low 60s at this time.

although cooler than yesterday, even by 13 in oakland. your satellite radar, ridge of high pressure weakening. their is a 24-hour loop. we've got that weak system that will brush northern california tonight and then a -- a bit of energy is gonna break off and slide down the coast in time for tuesday. it will pass by but bring a slight chance of showers. plenty of sunshine today. by tonight there's that rain as far down as -- over the coast line. and then for tuesday, it looks like partly to mostly cloudy skies. it's 4:00. this will be our best chance at getting a knew sprinkles. maybe a few traces, maybe a few 100ths. it went be a lot. partly cloudy to mostly cloudy in time for tuesday. a few sprinkles. we'll try. ridge of high pressure still in

place. although weakening a little bit. we'll be cooler with this system. partly to mostly cloudy skies. temperatures are gonna call back in the in-- in the upper 50sed a lone 60s. may -- we may get wet. 65 expected for santa rosa. 67 for novato. 64 oakland. looking awfully nice. mid-60s for santa clara and along the peninsula, you can see 65 san mateo. 4 in the city. our temperatures are gonna fall. it looks like that -- any chance for rain will be gone and then in time for the weekend, dry, mild weather once again. >> thank you. >> you are welcome. there's welcomed news for drivers on interstate 680 through the san ramon valley. the contra costa county time reports merging lanes will be bim on a two-mile stretch. construction should begin this

fall and wrap up in 2014. the $34 million project should cut driving time and the number of accidents. the fel transportation department today announced that a project to -- the federal transportation department today announced that a project is in line to fix damage that occurred in 2004 and 2005. the money is part of $1.6 billion going to states and u.s. territories to repair damage from natural disasters. some of the money will go to reimburse work that's already been done. up next, we'll check on the gas prices. it's called the super bowl for nerds. we'll tell you what is hot as the consumer show is about to open.

traders are looking ahead to alcoa's results. the unofficial start to the corporate earning season. gas prices are going up again and industry experts say that could be a sign of much higher -- higher prices this summer. right now a gallon of regular is 3.37. that's up 9 cents from last week. here in the bay area, prices rupp only 6 cents from last week but we are still paying nearly $3.70 a gallon. analysts say we should expect nearly a dollar more by summer.

a major announcement today in the automobile world concerning hun kay. the detroit -- hyundai. the detroit auto show named it the car the year, the alantra. the judges like the fuel mileage t gets 40 miles ha gallon on the highway. if you are in to everything high tech r then las vegas is the place to be -- high tech, then las vegas is the place to be this week. the event kicks off tomorrow. it's the largest event of its kind 140,000 people are expected to attend. electronics companies will use the large crowds to unveil their new high-tech gammettes. solid state laptops is one of the items getting attention. the store -- the show is a boost also to the las vegas economy. coming up at 5:00 tonight, there's fallout in the bay area to the lack of snow in the

sierra. the complaints from bay area ski recommend shops and twha they are doing in -- and what they are doing instead of renting skis. thank you for trusting ktvu channel 2 news. we're always here for you on ktvu.com and mobile ktvu.com.