1 Dead, 6 Hurt, Dozens Displaced In 4-Alarm Fire At Apartment Complex In SF's Mission District
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- San Francisco firefighters battled a four-alarm fire at an apartment complex in the Mission District Wednesday evening that took almost eight hours to contain leaving one man dead and six others injured, including one firefighter.
The fire started in a 3-story building above a Popeye's Restaurant on 22nd Street between Bartlett and Mission streets went from three to four alarms at about 8 p.m. Smoke and flames billowed from the roof for hours.
San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White announced that one person was killed in the blaze. Fire crews approached the unconscious man and attempted to resuscitate him, but he died at the scene. Five suffered smoke inhalation injuries, including one firefighter, and one person suffered burns.
Of those injured, none were reported to be in critical condition.
Despite the fire's containment Battalion Chief Jack Cremen told KCBS on Thursday morning that it's far from over.
"Concern this morning is basically there is still fire up there that's trapped that we need to get to. The rood has been compromised; it collapsed in a certain area so it's difficult for us to get to where the hot spots still are," he said.
The building has about 16 apartments on the third floor with business on the second floor. At least 46 residents have been displaced, including 9 children.
Hayes-White said that there were some dramatic evacuations.
"When crews first came up on scene, there were about six people on the fire escape--on the Mission Street side that we were able to rescue and then there was at least another half dozen that our rescue squad was able to bring down safely through the interior of the building," she said.
The American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter at the City College campus and hotel rooms were made available.
Mission Street remains closed between 21st and 23rd streets.
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