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Crews Battle 4-Alarm Gas Fire In SF Portola Neighborhood

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - One person was critically injured as San Francisco firefighters battled a four-alarm gas fire in the city's Portola neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.

The blaze was reported at 3:47 p.m. in the 2800 block of San Bruno Avenue, a fire dispatcher said.

San Francisco Fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said the fire was fueled by a gas line that was damaged during a construction project at the site.

The man hooking up the gas line that caught fire has been hospitalized at St. Francis Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries according to Talmadge.

Three firefighters were taken to San Francisco General Hospital for minor injuries and smoke inhalation.

As of 5 p.m. a PG&E crew had arrived to drill and turn off the free-flowing gas. The gas line was capped around 6 p.m.

The fire involved a dental office and a three-story building next to the office. Talmadge said the fire has been contained to those two buildings.

About 100 fire department personnel were at the scene of the blaze. An SFFD crew could be seen on helicopter video using a chainsaw to cut into the roof of one of the buildings.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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