Bay Area/ San Francisco/ Crime & Emergencies
Published on May 15, 2014
VIDEO: Semi Truck Vs. Building Crash, Fire On Market Near Sanchez In The CastroFire at Arthur J. Sullivans Funeral Home (photo: Twitter/Matt Oertli)
Update (10:10AM): SFPD reports the vehicle was traveling Westbound on Market Street when the hood of the 18-wheeler flew open and the driver heard a bang. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it crashed into the funeral home. The vehicle and the building caught on fire. The driver and passenger were taken to the hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Crews helped to clean up over 150 gallons of diesel fuel that spilled into the road. Update (7:10AM): Crews are still trying to haul off the rig. Market Street blocked off Westbound between Sanchez and 16/Noe. -------------------- At approximately 12:30AM this morning, SFPD and SF Fire Department responded to a 2-alarm fire caused by a 18-wheel semi-truck that slammed into Arthur J. Sullivans Funeral Home (2254 Market Street) and burst into flames. Many neighbors said they woke to the sound of a giant explosion and rumbling. Police and fire crews evacuated Market Street between Sanchez and 16th/Noe Street. At one point there were at least 5 firetrucks on the scene with 15-20 SFPD officers securing the area. It is not clear if the driver of the truck survived the crash. One other person was reported injured. In the video footage (below) caught by neighbor Drew Paxton, you can hear a big explosion from the fire 8 seconds in with flames blazing in the parking lot adjacent to Beck's Motor Lodge. One man can be seen being taken away by medics. The man is in stable condition with no life threatening injuries. Reader Paul Quick and videographer Drew Paxton noted that it seemed to take SFFD longer than expected to respond. "I heard the explosion from my house, then no sirens until about five minutes later. Station 6 is about 300 yards away," said Quick. The name on the truck reads Southwest Traders, Inc. a Temecula, CA-based product distribution company. As of 2:30AM, emergency crews still had the 2200 block of Market blocked off to vehicle traffic while crews inspected the building for structural safety and to figure out the best way to pull the rig out.