Gas explosion, fire on Geary near Hong Kong Lounge II prompt evacuations in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO -- An explosion and fire damaged five buildings and burned for hours in San Francisco after a construction crew hit a gas line. No injuries have been reported and all workers in the area have been accounted for.
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The fire was first reported at 1:18 p.m. and was under control exactly three hours later. According to fire officials, 120 firefighters responded to the fire.
PG&E says there are 300 customers without gas service due to the incident and 235 without electricity. They say they are working to restore service, but are going slow due to the "complex web of utilities" in the area.
Flames shot from a commercial building near the intersection of Parker Avenue and Geary Boulevard. A witness told ABC7 News that the fire was at the Hong Kong Lounge II, which was under construction.
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Firefighters asked people to avoid the area and went door-to-door to evacuate residents in the vicinity. Streets in the area were closed to traffic. Geary Boulevard will be closed overnight. Buses are being detoured around the scene of the incident.
"I was going through an intersection and I heard a small explosion like something behind me, and I looked up and saw people in front of me just screaming and yelling, and I turned around at that point and I saw flames coming toward me. I actually thought it was a bomb for a second," witness Micheal Comstock said.
Five buildings were damaged in the fire.
TIMELINE: Gas explosion, fire near Hong Kong Lounge II on Geary in San Francisco
Pacific Gas and Electric crews capped the leak around 3:35 p.m.
PG&E crews were seen inspecting the burned building after the fire was knocked down. Meanwhile, Mayor London Breed showed up and praised the work of first responders.
"The good news is that no one was injured or hurt thanks to the quick response that happened with the San Francisco Fire Department and the San Francisco Police Department. I am grateful for their service."
Fire crews rescued people from buildings in the area while they waited for PG&E to stop the leak.
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Fire officials said underground workers were doing excavation work to install fiber optic lines when the gas line was ruptured. PG&E says they were third-party workers.
Red Cross Bay Area responded to the area with drinks and snacks for firefighters.
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USF officials say campus stayed open, but students and faculty members were asked to stay away from the area of the fire.
Take a look at full coverage on the gas explosion and fire on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco.
