Firefighters hosed debris from the streets and checked for flareups early Sunday following a major blaze that ripped through a three-story North Beach building the night before, damaging at least 10 businesses and displacing 8 people from their homes.
The fire was reported just before 7:30 pm. Saturday at a brick building at 659 Union Street, across from Washington Square. While the fire was contained to a single structure, smoke damaged neighboring buildings and caused at least 10 businesses to be evacuated.
Flames soared high into the sky above North Beach, and firefighters brought the blaze under control by around 1 a.m. No one was injured.
On Sunday, ash littered Columbus Avenue, Powell Street and Union Street. Windows of the building were blown out, and the top front of the structure appeared to be little more than a facade. Merchants on the bottom floor of the building were blackened from smoke, and nearby businesses were damaged as well.
A firefighter was injured during the cleanup Sunday morning after slipping off his truck and striking his head on the ground. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition, said San Francisco Fire Lt. Jonathan Baxter.
The Red Cross Bay Area told Baxter that the fire displaced 8 people from their apartments.
Fire Captain Abdul Khadir said investigators would examine the scene Sunday to determine the cause of the blaze. “The crews are here to make sure there aren’t any hot spots,” he added.
Saturday’s fire is the second on the block bordered by Union and Powell streets — a blaze in December 2013 damaged some units in 1656 Powell Street.
Businesses damaged in Saturday’s fire include Coit Liquors, Ferry Plaza Seafood, Tuk Tuk Thai Cafe, Michelangelo Caffe, Rouge Ales Public House, Jackie Lee Fong Insurance, Patricia’s Gifts and Flowers, Il Pollaio, Caffe Spuntino and BarNua.
“I saw it from my window last night, smoke and fire just hovering above the building. It looks like all the businesses down below are just gone,” said Ray Alexander, who has lived in the area for nearly 40 years. “The neighborhood’s changed a lot and it’ll probably change some more.”
Sophie Haigney is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SophieHaigney
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