Gas tank catches fire at San Francisco Shell station
Fire at San Francisco Mission gas station
San Francisco fire officials responded to a gas station in the Mission District on Monday after an excavator hit an underground gas tank that was being removed, causing the fire to ignite. No one was injured, officials said.
SAN FRANCISCO - A fire and a reported explosion erupted Monday at the site of a San Francisco Mission District gas station.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management reported around 4:55 p.m. that fire activity was occurring in the area of 16th and Guerrero streets.
Gas tank ignites during removal
The fire department had said crews were called to a Shell gas station at around 4:41 p.m., where a gas tank that was being removed caught fire.
San Francisco Fire Department Fire Chief Dean Crispen said an excavator at the gas station hit one of the underground gas tanks which caused backup fuel to flow into a line and that a spark caused the fire.
Using foam, firefighters were able to extinguish the flames within 10 minutes. However, the department said fuel remains in the tank, and an outside company has been called to remove it.
Fire, possible explosion at SF gas station
A fire and a reported explosion erupted late Monday afternoon at the site of a San Francisco gas station in the area of 16th and Guerrero streets.
Chief Crispen said the building next to the gas station was successfully evacuated.
Footage from the scene showed that the gas station appeared to be under construction.
There were no reports of any injuries.
Report of fire at San Francisco gas station
Video shows smoke at a gas station Monday evening near 16th Street and Guerrero Street in San Francisco.
Officials said there is no threat to the general public, but the fire chief said the air was being monitored for any dangerous or hazardous chemicals.
Crews will remain on the scene for an extended period of time. They will be providing safety measures for the offloading of residual fuel that was left in the underground tank.
Witnesses respond
"I heard a really loud bang, said Mays, an area resident. "I thought it was a…like a firecracker or something and then walked out and see this big black plume of smoke and walked over here, saw the fire over the canopy. Crazy."
"We just heard a big bang. Shook the building and really, I didn't think much of it," said Bill Banning, a neighbor. Banning went out for a look.
"And there was seven fire trucks, a few police cars, a crowd of a hundred people. So, I thought, it's the gas station now," said Banning.
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One person, named Vincent Woo, documented some of what happened on social media. On X, he posted video of the raging flames and thick black smoke from across the street. He said he was eating pho when he felt the heat and heard the initial explosion. One contractor is seen trying to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. His effort appears to be futile but the fire department soon arrives. The end of the video shows fire officials prying a gate from an apartment's front door so they can evacuate the building because of its proximity to the gas station fire.
Officials said all of the evacuees from the neighboring apartment house have been cleraed to return to their homes.
The Source: Information for this story comes from the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, San Francisco Fire Department, along with KTVU reporting.