A fire Tuesday morning tore through a building on the 900 block of Valencia Street in the Mission District, and the SF Fire Department had to rescue five individuals from the blaze.
The fire, which would eventually reach two alarms, was first reported by the SFFD at 5:58 a.m. Tuesday. It was burning inside 975 Valencia, a three-story building building 20th and 21st streets that is home to Ministry of Scent, a perfumery.
Flames were visible rising off the roof of the building, and the SFFD said in a tweet that the new Valencia center bike lane presented a challenge in the response. "A rapid response was met with challenges due to bike lane barriers in the roadway," the department said. "Firefighters adapted and made 5 rescues at this early morning fire." (This may be one more argument for jettisoning the center bike lane.)
Five residents required rescue, and as video from the SFFD showed, the flames reached a downstairs hallway and appeared to be blocking the main egress door. Three of those rescued were hospitalized with injuries.
UPDATE
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) November 14, 2023
This two-alarm fire at 975 Valencia Street is now under control with 5 rescued by #SFFD, and 3 transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries- @RedCrossNorCal being called to assist with potentially 8 displaced.
This fire was active on all three floors… https://t.co/UzVlsK6xMS pic.twitter.com/6VaNAybSXg
Eight people were reportedly displaced by the fire, and the Red Cross was assisting them Tuesday morning.
The fire was reported under control as of 7:06 a.m.
For some reason that may be the least clear to those currently hospitalized, the SFFD has already set a montage of their fire response to an upbeat soundtrack and posted a video about it:
A rapid response was met with challenges due to bike lane barriers in the roadway. Firefighters adapted and made 5 rescues at this early morning fire. https://t.co/KZTqM5XRtI pic.twitter.com/naCYi3vUTq
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) November 14, 2023