A fire tore through two wood-frame buildings on Chestnut Street in the Marina District early Wednesday morning, injuring three firefighters as they combated the blaze.
Two San Francisco firefighters got hurt from falls inside the buildings while a third suffered a minor injury. The firefighters fell about 10 feet, hurt their backs and were in stable condition at San Francisco General Hospital, Fire Chief Dean Crispen said. (opens in new tab)
Approximately 145 firefighters responded to the fire at 2552 Chestnut St., which was reported at 4:16 a.m., according to emergency dispatch records. The fire spread rapidly between the adjoining structures, one of which was under construction.
“Our firefighters did a fantastic job, very aggressive firefighting,” Crispen said. ”Building under construction can provide many challenges with uncovered walls and active plumbing and electrical work being done can pose a lot of danger to our firefighters.”
Crews cut holes in the roofs of the three-story buildings to vent hot gases and searched for hot spots. Fire officials evacuated the buildings on both sides of the burning structures as a precaution. Four residents were displaced.
A mayday call was issued after one firefighter fell from the third floor to the second floor. A second firefighter also fell through a hole in the floor during the response, Crispen said.
The building where the fire started was under construction, with construction equipment visible at the front of the property. Crispen said that activity may have allowed the fire to advance more rapidly than normal.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.