3:46 PM: A three-alarm fire that broke out in a building undergoing renovations near San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza is under control this afternoon, a fire spokeswoman said.
The blaze was reported at 12:03 p.m. at 45 McAllister St., the site of the former Renoir Hotel, fire officials said.
Firefighters responded and initially went into the eight-story structure, but evacuated after hearing explosions that possibly came from propane tanks inside the building, fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.
Smoke was pouring out of multiple floors of the building this afternoon but no flames were visible from the street.
After mostly fighting the blaze from outside, the fire was eventually declared under control at 3:22 p.m., Talmadge said.
About two dozen construction workers were in the building when the fire started in between the first and second floors, Talmadge said.
All of the workers got out of the building but seven were taken to a hospital with smoke inhalation. One other worker suffered smoke inhalation but declined to be taken to the hospital. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening, Talmadge said.
The response to the fire shut down a portion of Market Street as well as other streets surrounding the building.
Crews had reopened Market Street by the time the fire was under control but other streets in the area remained closed, Talmadge said.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
2:26 PM: Firefighters were preparing to reenter a building undergoing renovations where a three-alarm fire broke out near San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza this afternoon, a fire spokeswoman said.
The blaze was reported at 12:03 p.m. at 45 McAllister St., the site of the former Renoir Hotel, fire officials said.
Firefighters responded and initially went into the eight-story building, but evacuated after hearing explosions that possibly came from propane tanks inside the building, fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said.
For nearly two hours, fire crews fought the flames from the outside but as of about 2 p.m. they were preparing to try to reenter the structure, Talmadge said.
The blaze is not expected to be extinguished until later this afternoon, Talmadge said.
About two dozen construction workers were in the building when the fire started in between the first and second floors, Talmadge said.
All of the workers got out of the building but seven were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation. One other worker suffered smoke inhalation but declined to be taken to the hospital. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening, Talmadge said.
The response to the fire has shut down a portion of Market Street as well as other streets surrounding the building.
Smoke was pouring out of multiple floors of the building this afternoon but no flames were visible from the street.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
12:49 PM: A three-alarm fire continues to burn this afternoon at a building under construction near San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza, fire officials said.
The fire was reported at 12:03 p.m. at 45 McAllister St., the site of the former Renoir Hotel, fire officials said.
A couple of explosions were reported inside the structure, possibly from propane tanks, prompting firefighters to evacuate the building and fight the blaze defensively, according to fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge.
The response to the fire, which was not extinguished as of 12:40 p.m., has shut down a portion of Market Street as well as other streets surrounding the building.
Smoke was pouring out of multiple floors of the building this afternoon but no flames were visible from the street. The fire was initially reported as reaching a four-alarm response but officials later downgraded the blaze to three alarms.
No injuries have been reported in the fire.
Scott Morris/Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
12:35 PM: A four-alarm fire is burning this afternoon at a building under construction near San Francisco’s United Nations Plaza, fire officials said.
The blaze was reported at 12:03 p.m. at 45 McAllister St. and was upgraded to a fourth alarm at 12:15 p.m., fire officials said.
No injuries have been reported in the fire, which is burning at the site of the former Renoir Hotel.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
