[This article is over 8 years old.] Many Sunnyside residents woke to sounds of sirens, billowing smoke and the smell of something ablaze. A four alarm fire at King’s Coffee and Tea at 1552 Ocean Avenue kept SF Firefighters busy and traffic snarled. The fire was extremely dangerous with a strong back-draft explosion of super-heated gases.
The fire is under investigation.
Below is the article for the San Francisco Chronicle.
(08-07) 12:55 PDT SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco firefighters battling a blaze in a commercial building narrowly escaped serious injury Tuesday morning when an explosion sent a fireball of hot gas rocketing out a door they had just opened, authorities said.
The near-miss happened at little before 6 a.m. as firefighters responded to a four-alarm in the city’s Ingleside neighborhood near Ocean and Capitol avenues.
As they opened the front door to one of the businesses, King’s Coffee and Tea, they were greeted with a strong back-draft explosion of super-heated gases.
Assistant Chief Tom Siragusa said the gases ignited and “sent a fireball across the street.”
About 10 firefighters were surrounding the doorway at the time. After the blast, firefighters quickly checked to make sure all crews were accounted for and it was “miraculous” that no one was seriously injured, Siragusa said.
Back-draft explosions are rare and only occur when a fire and hot smoke get trapped for a while in a contained space, firefighters said. Siragusa said that this is only the second time he’s witnessed a back-draft explosion in his decades of experience.
Two firefighters received minor injures while fighting the blaze. One suffered an irregular heart beat after the explosion, Gonzales said. The other later suffered a shoulder injury.
The fire was reported around 5:45 a.m. in the attic of a commercial building on 1552 Ocean Avenue. About 120 firefighters and 40 pieces of equipment brought the fire under control by 6:30 a.m., authorities said.
The fire spread to three businesses that share an attic and caused the roof of the building to collapse, said Deputy Chief Mark Gonzales.
Lili Knit and Happy Bakery and Deli, businesses on either side of King’s Coffee and Tea, suffered extensive water and fire damage, though the exact amount of damage has yet to be determined.
Following standard procedure, the department’s arson unit was called to the scene to investigate.
Muni’s K-Ingleside Metro line has been blocked by fire for at least 6 hours. Bus shuttles have been brought in to replace the train.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Fireball-just-misses-S-F-firefighters-3768750.php#ixzz22u7T7Z9P
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