Local News

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / BCN) ― Firefighters spent hours battling a stubborn blaze Tuesday at an abandoned building in San Francisco's South of Market area that could
topple, officials said.

While the fire was contained by late afternoon, San Francisco Fire Lt. Ken Smith had no estimate as to when the fire at 1133 Mission Street would be brought under control and added that firefighters remained at the scene to monitor the structure for hot spots.

"We're basically going to let it burn itself out throughout the night," Smith said.

Firefighters could be seen throughout the day spraying water and flame-smothering, biodegradable foam into the building, through its front windows and partially collapsed roof.

The roof's collapsing rafters injured one firefighter, causing all other firefighters to be pulled from the smouldering building because "they believed it's going to collapse," said Smith.

Stress cracks from the heat broke through the surface of the building's exterior. Should there be a collapse, part of the structure could easily crumble into Mission Street.

"We are paying close attention, in case what's going on there might result in a building collapse," Department of Building Inspection spokesman William Strawn explained. "The good news right now, is (the building) has not yet collapsed."

Building inspectors planned to tear the building down sometime Wednesday, once the fire is out.

Authorities first received calls about the fire at 6:50 a.m. Tuesday, but Smith said the fire "was probably burning for some time before they got there," which made the one-alarm blaze extremely difficult to fight.

The smouldering fire sent black smoke wafting from the back of the brick, three-story building while white smoke oozed from the front for hours.

The burning commercial building, emblazoned on its street-side entrance with "Knights of the Red Branch," was undergoing renovation and may have been used as a dance hall for an Irish fraternal organization, according to fire officials.

Workers at the building told fire investigators they had left at 10 p.m. Monday.

The building sits next door to the San Francisco Fire Department's Local 798 union hall, which was not damaged.

Mission Street between Seventh and Eighth streets was closed because of the fire and collapse threat and was likely to remain closed until after the building's demolished, officials said. 

The street closure prompted San Francisco Municipal Railway's 14 Mission bus route to be detoured, according to Muni spokesman Alan Siegel. The reroute was to remain in place through Wednesday.

Inbound buses going down Mission Street take South Van Ness Avenue to Market Street, Siegel said. The buses then turn down Fourth Street and back onto Mission Street, where the buses will continue as normal.Outbound buses on Mission Street turn right on Third Street, left on Market Street, left on 11th Street and right onto Mission Street and back onto the regular route, said Siegel.

In addition, motor coach shuttles will be offered in a loop around the site of the fire. But Siegel added that anyone in the area is best off walking to Market Street to use the rerouted buses.

The cause of the fire was currently unknown and remained under investigation as of Tuesday evening.

At least two firefighters were injured while battling the blaze; both were treated at a local hospital and released.

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