Apr 28, 2008 12:27 pm US/Pacific
Big SF Blaze Causes $700,000 Damage To 4 Buildings
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / BCN) ―
Fire investigators Monday were trying to determine the cause of a three-alarm fire that swept through four buildings on a windy Sunday night in
San Francisco's Visitacion Valley neighborhood.
Approximately 100 firefighters battled the blaze that caused an estimated $700,000 damage to the four buildings and displaced at least eight residents, fire officials said.
The fire began about 7:30 p.m. in a two-story building at 15-19 Blanken Avenue and quickly spread to three other buildings at 2155 Bayshore Blvd., 25 Blanken Ave. and 33 Blanken Ave.
Responding firefighters witnessed heavy smoke pouring from two structures and immediately called a second alarm. By 7:53 p.m., the fire had been upgraded to three alarms.
Blustery conditions likely contributed to the spread of the fire, fire Lt. Mindy Talmadge said.
"The wind really whipped it up a bit," Talmadge said, adding that firefighters aggressively attacked the flames and brought it under control by 8:15 p.m.
Each of the four damaged structures appeared to be commercial on the first floor and residential on the second floor.
Three businesses were significantly damaged, according to fire Lt. Ken Smith. The American Red Cross also provided temporary shelter to five
adults displaced by the fire.
There were no reports of injuries caused directly by the fire, however one woman was taken to the hospital for heart palpitations, Smith said.
Talmadge indicated that investigators may know more about how the fire started in the coming days.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
