Massive fire erupts on San Francisco's iconic waterfront
A four alarm fire erupted on San Francisco's iconic Fisherman's Wharf early Saturday morning, CBS San Francisco reports. The blaze started at a warehouse that contained a large fish processing operation on Pier 45.
More than 100 firefighters responded to towering flames around 4 a.m. local time. Flames began to spread underneath the pier, and the structure began to collapse. Firefighters took a defensive approach, shutting down streets around the waterfront neighborhood.
CBS San Francisco reports the fire could be seen for miles, and a large plume of smoke covered much of the Bay.
#PHOTOS: View of a four-alarm fire at Pier 45 in San Francisco. @JohnEvansKCBS is on the scene now. We're told roughly 100 firefighters are at Fisherman's Wharf.Continuing coverage on @KCBSRadio now.📸: Images courtesy @dwhly pic.twitter.com/Jq4t0UlYhm
— KCBS 106.9 FM/740 AM (@KCBSRadio) May 23, 2020
UPDATE: WORKING FIRE, 4TH ALARM, PIER 45, SF, btwn TAYLOR ST and JONES ST, #SFFD @KTVU @KPIXtv pic.twitter.com/Qm53y36AJD
— San Francisco Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) May 23, 2020
San Francisco Fire spokesman Jonathan Baxter reported around 6:30 a.m. local time that the fire was "still active and four-alarm status," according to the department's public updates.
The warehouse is located next to the U.S. liberty ship SS Jeremiah O'Brien, one of several historic warships docked along side of the wharf.
"Firefighters were able to save the SS Jeremiah O'Brien Museum from the flames. The fire is no longer in danger of spreading and is contained to one area of the pier," he said. "Multiple walls of the building have collapsed. No injuries have been reported and at least 130 firefighters are at the scene working to safely contain the fire."
"When firefighters arrived, the flames were literally lapping over the Jeremiah O'Brien," Baxter told CBS SF BayArea. "They literally saved the O'Brien."
Firefighters had contained the fire to the pier by 7 a.m. local time, but said it would not be fully extinguished for hours.
Good morning San Francisco. #SFFD units have been on scene at Pier 45 since 4am this morning working on a 4th alarm #fire. They will be here for a while. Please avoid the area #yoursffd pic.twitter.com/VsslRhCV0Q
— San Francisco Firefighters 798 (@SFFFLocal798) May 23, 2020
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