Crews battle 3-alarm blaze in apartment building near San Francisco's Alamo Square
SAN FRANCISCO – Fire crews battled a blaze on the upper floors of an apartment building near Alamo Square in San Francisco Tuesday.
The San Francisco fire department first reported the fire at 1604 McAllister Street on Twitter at 12:10 p.m. Initially it was reported as a 1-alarm and residents were advised to avoid the area, but nine minutes later the department reported that the fire was affecting two floors.
By 12:40 p.m. the fire had reached three alarms. An estimated 100 firefighters were on the scene battling the fire.
At 2 p.m., the SFFD tweeted that crews had the fire under control. Firefighters rescued one person with non-life-threatening injuries.
UPDATE: San Francisco apartment fire: inferno had potential to 'grind down that entire block'
"We are happy to say through an update from the hospital, this victim is in stable condition and will be okay," said fire department spokesman Jonathan Baxter.
Two firefighters we also injured, but they stuck around to continue to help put out the fire.
In all, the fire displaced 13 residents and damaged two buildings. Two businesses were also impacted, the fire department said.
"I opened the door and it was just a cloud of black smoke," said building resident Justin St. Peter. "I jumped from the second-floor window down to the first floor... I think one of the other tenants was down at the front door yelling, 'Everybody get out, everybody get out.' Otherwise, I wouldn't have known where to go."
Baxter said there were difficulties in battling this blaze.
"We have been confronted with many challenges at this fire," he said. "Let alone this being an older building, wood-frame material, we've had items obstructing entryways."
Baxter also lauded the work of the firefighters after it was knocked down.
"One rescue, stable condition. Thirteen residents, all accounted for. One building on fire, not an entire city block." said Baxter. "That is what your San Francisco firefighters are doing for you today."
It was little consolation to building resident Deborah Franklin
"It's a lot ... I looked up and saw flames coming out of apartment 1," said Franklin. "Everything I owned is gone."
The Red Cross arrived to help displaced residents, but for Franklin, the long-term shock and trauma was just beginning.
"It's just kind of heart-breaking," she said. "I don't know what I'm gonna do."
The cause is still under investigation, according to the SFFD.
