SAN FRANCISCO – A fire and a reported explosion erupted Monday at the site of a San Francisco Mission District gas station.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management reported around 4:55 p.m. that fire activity was occurring in the area of 16th and Guerrero streets.
Gas tank ignites during removal
The fire department had said crews were called to a Shell gas station at around 4:41 p.m., where a gas tank that was being removed caught fire.
San Francisco Fire Department Fire Chief Dean Crispen said an excavator at the gas station hit one of the underground gas tanks which caused backup fuel to flow into a line and that a spark caused the fire.Â
Using foam, firefighters were able to extinguish the flames within 10 minutes. However, the department said fuel remains in the tank, and an outside company has been called to remove it.
Chief Crispen said the building next to the gas station was successfully evacuated.Â
Footage from the scene showed that the gas station appeared to be under construction.
There were no reports of any injuries.
Officials said there is no threat to general public, but the fire chief said the air was being monitored for any dangerous or hazardous chemicals.
Crews will remain on the scene for an extended period of time. They will be providing safety measures of the offloading of residual fuel that was left in the underground tank.Â
The Source: Information for this story comes from the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, San Francisco Fire Department, along with KTVU reporting.