2-Alarm Structure Fire Displaces 13 Residents In Daly City
DALY CITY (CBS SF) -- More than a dozen people are now looking for a new place to stay after a 2-alarm structure fire tore through a Daly City apartment building late Sunday afternoon.
The fire broke out at a two story building on Mission St. near Templeton Ave. The first calls to 911 came in around 4:15 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Thick, black smoke was coming out of the building and flames were shooting up from the roof.
Crews responded to put out the blaze and the ensuing activity blocked all of Mission St. in both directions to both cars and buses.
Residents said that three apartments sit atop a Taekwondo studio. Michael Kissinger has owned the dojo for 48 years.
"I'm an ex-green beret, so I don't really get excited about anything. And so you know, you just take it in stride and do what you've got to do next," said Kissinger.
"I saw the fire inside our unit, in our apartment and I go like, first thing that goes through my mind is my kids. I know my kids are inside the house," said Shel Lane, who lives in one of the second floor apartments.
She was just coming home from work this afternoon when she saw smoke pouring from the back of her apartment building and flames shooting from the roof. Her three children, who are 21, 11 and 9 years old, were all inside.
"So I just sprung up and get them out. They don't know what's going on. They don't smell anything," said Lane.
The NCFA said the fire was knocked down by around 5:30 p.m. Initial reports indicated that no residents or firefighters were injured in the blaze. The American Red Cross was at the scene to help the displaced residents find a place to sleep for the night.
Firefighters were doing what they call "overhaul," essentially pulling out parts of the roof to make sure they have put out all of the fire's hot spots.
According to fire investigators, the building had been without gas for months and some of the residents were using portable butane tanks to provide heat and to cook. Investigators say they're looking into that as a possible cause of this fire.
