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Fire In San Francisco's Duboce Triangle Causes $3 Million In Damage

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A three-alarm fire that damaged three houses in San Francisco's Duboce Triangle neighborhood Tuesday afternoon caused more than $3 million in damage and displaced at least 10 people, according to the fire department.

The fire started behind a home at 34-36 Walter St. around 1:30 p.m. High winds fueled the flames until they engulfed the entire home and started spreading to adjacent houses on either side.

Two firefighters were injured while fighting the blaze—one was burned when melting tar from the roof burned him and the other suffered a cut to the hand. Neither of their injuries were serious, fire officials said.

Smoke poured from the roof and filled the streets in the sunny neighborhood near Duboce Park as local residents looked on at the destruction.

Firefighters tore the roof off of the home to the right at 30-32 Walter St. as flames spread to the shingles there. The damage to that home was estimated at $1 million, fire officials said.

The fire also caused damage to the home at 38-40 Walter St. The fire and water damage was not as severe and was estimated at $150,000, fire officials said.

The main home at 34-36 Walter St. was gutted by the flames and overall damage to the building was estimated at $2 million with $225,000 of property lost.

The fire at the two adjacent buildings was controlled by 2:49 p.m., fire officials said, but it took until 3:25 p.m. to fully control the main fire.

Residents were allowed to return to the main fire building later in the afternoon to pick through what few waterlogged possessions were not destroyed by fire.

At least nine adults and a child were reported displaced, as all three buildings were left uninhabitable, at least temporarily. The American Red Cross arrived to assist any residents who needed help with accommodations.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

The fire affected San Francisco Municipal Railway's N-Judah light-rail and 22-Fillmore bus lines.

© Copyright 2014 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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