Chaos erupted at a Mission District gas station when a construction mishap led to a fire and a reported explosion yesterday. The San Francisco Fire Department responded to an emergency at the Shell gas station located at the intersection of 16th Street and Guerrero, following a fire triggered by an excavator striking an underground tank, as reported by the San Francisco Fire Department's social media post.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:33 PM, and firefighters were quick to declare a Working Fire. San Francisco Fire Department Fire Chief Dean Crispen stated that an excavator struck the underground gas tank, causing backup fuel to overflow and a spark to ignite the fire, as reported by KTVU. The blaze was extinguished within roughly 10 minutes using foam agents, which are standard for fuel-related fires. Despite the swift action, the fire department indicated that fuel still remains in the tank, necessitating a call to an outside company to remove it safely.
Adjacent buildings were promptly evacuated, and the San Francisco Fire Department's Hazardous Materials Crews stayed on site until around 7 PM to conduct air monitoring and ensure the safe removal of remaining fuel. The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management has confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to the public, and firefighters remained on the scene to monitor safety measures for the offloading of the residual fuel left in the tank.
Ultimately, officials declared the situation under control, and all of the evacuees from a neighboring apartment house were cleared to return to their homes.
