Heavy rain floods Bay Area roads, damages San Francisco home and leaves drivers stranded

Heavy rain caused widespread problems across the Bay Area Friday, flooding roads, damaging vehicles and even bringing part of a San Francisco home's ceiling crashing down.

The Details

In the city's Excelsior District, an elderly homeowner narrowly avoided serious injury when part of his plaster ceiling collapsed after rainwater leaked through the roof.

The man was sitting in his living room on Athens Street when the plaster fell, striking his shoulder but missing his head. He was not injured, but faces potentially thousands of dollars in roof and ceiling repairs.

Crews were working to patch the roof Friday to prevent additional water from entering the home.

In South San Francisco, flooding created dangerous conditions along the southbound Interstate 280 offramp at Westborough Boulevard. At its lowest point, the roadway was covered by about two feet of water.

Andy Wang, who lives in the East Bay, heard about the flooding and decided to come help. Armed with a rake, he cleared trash and a bumper that were blocking a storm drain.

Authorities were aware of the flooding but were overwhelmed with nonstop calls for service. As he worked, he encountered frustrated drivers, including one who cursed at him.

Despite the encounters, Wang said he wanted to help.

"I care about people even if they don't like me," he said. "I just do it because it's the right thing to do."

The flooding left some motorists stranded. One vehicle became stuck in a ditch, while a BMW suffered engine trouble after water got inside.

The BMW driver, Johny Godoy, said he should have listened to his girlfriend's warning.

"My girlfriend told me don't do it. I still went ahead and did it," Godoy said. "I wouldn't have been in this situation if I listened."

Godoy said the situation was especially stressful because his pregnant girlfriend was in the car.

"Stressed out, honestly, I've got my pregnant girlfriend in the car. A lot going through my mind right now," he said.

Flooding also affected the southbound lanes of Interstate 280 near Westborough Boulevard, where the fast lane was underwater.

The California Highway Patrol reported multiple crashes involving vehicles that hydroplaned on the flooded freeway. Some cars struck the center divider, while others lost control and collided with other vehicles.

Back at the offramp, Wang eventually cleared the storm drain, allowing water to begin swirling down the opening.

The storm was an early reminder of the hazards heavy rainfall can bring to Bay Area roads and neighborhoods.

Authorities urge drivers to avoid flooded roadways and turn around rather than risk driving through standing water.