SF Hayes Valley residents repeat calls for action after destructive construction site fire
SAN FRANCISCO -- The early morning fire that destroyed a building under construction in Hayes Valley Tuesday left residents and community leaders repeating calls for urgent action to address the growing safety concerns in the area.
The fire started shortly before 6 a.m., quickly growing as it swept through the construction site, causing the erected wooden framework of the building to partially collapse.
Over 140 firefighters were called to the scene, where five neighboring buildings were damaged and eight people were displaced, fire officials said.
"I was awoken by my dogs and then I looked out the window of my bedroom to the building behind us here, which was fully involved," resident Brendan Mahoney said.
Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association President Jennifer Laska was still in shock Tuesday afternoon. A resident in the area since 2017 expressed her deep concern for her neighbors displaced by the devastating fire.
"Look at what happened today. We have eight neighbors, at least, displaced. The building across the street got so hot that all of the windows are cracked on the front. So we don't know how long those neighbors will be impacted," Laska said.
This isn't the first time fires have happened in the immediate area.
"I know that there have been a number of recent fires, especially here on this stretch of Octavia," said Mahoney. "There was a car fire, there's been one or two encampment fires."
In response to the concerning trend of fires, Laska and the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association sent a letter to the Mayor and other city leaders in May. It outlined their concerns about public safety and urged action. However, she said the community has yet to receive a response.
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"We sent that letter out to the heads of different departments in the city and we basically got no response. So we outlined our concerns that something major could happen. And we don't know if this fire was the result of a homeless encampment, but we know that we've had a string of fires here that have created a great concern for neighbors, and rightfully so," Laska explained.
Arlon Knudson saw the flames from his kitchen window. He's lived in the same apartment for decades. As far as the encampments, Knudson said, "They come and go, but they're here more than they are not."
The city said in a statement to KPIX that they are aware of past incidents related to encampments, and they understand residents are frustrated. The city also said the mayor is committed to keeping the streets clean through regular homeless outreach.
"I think that the city does the best job that they can and try to provide services for everybody, but it's difficult when people don't want to accept services," said Mahoney. "It's an ongoing issue, but I think that the employees of this city really do try to do their best to keep us safe."
For Laska, the situation has become dire. She is calling on city officials to prioritize the safety of residents.
"When things like this happen, it feels like a gut punch. You know, we're really trying hard to keep everyone safe; to make Hayes Valley a fun place that people want to come to. And then this….why won't our city officials actually do something about this? I don't understand. If they don't have the resources to do it, they need to call in resources from the state, national guard, everything to triage these issues," Laska said.
As the investigation into the recent fire continues, the San Francisco Fire Department has not yet disclosed a possible cause.
"The origin and the cause of this fire will be provided once our investigators come to a conclusion at a later time," said Captain Jonathan Baxter, a spokesman for the Fire Department.
