The Latest on an explosion and fire in San Francisco (all times local):
3:35 p.m.
San Francisco’s fire chief says a gas explosion and flames have ignited five buildings in a neighborhood.
Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White says workers for a private contractor cut a natural gas line while installing fiber-optic wires at a business.
Pacific Gas & Electric spokesman Patrick Doherty says crews are working as quickly as possible to turn off gas that’s feeding the flames.
Hayes-White says the fire in the city’s Richmond neighborhood was reported about 1:20 p.m. Wednesday.
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2:25 p.m.
The San Francisco Fire Department says five workers have been found safe after a gas explosion and fire and that no injuries have been reported.
Three-story flames in a neighborhood could be seen leaping into the air Wednesday in television images.
Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White says workers installing fiber-optic wires at a business cut a natural gas line. She says Pacific Gas & Electric has responded to try to stop the flow of gas.
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2:10 p.m.
The San Francisco Fire Department says five workers are missing following an explosion and fire on a gas line in the city’s Richmond neighborhood.
Three-story flames could be seen leaping into the air in television images. Police spokesman Robert Rueca says the fire was reported around 1:10 p.m.
KPIX-TV reported that the fire started at a construction site.
San Francisco police have closed off neighboring streets.
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2 p.m.
An explosion on a gas line has set at least one San Francisco building on fire and is sending huge plumes of fire and smoke into the air, prompting evacuations of nearby buildings.
Three-story flames could be seen leaping into the air in television images. Police spokesman Robert Rueca says the fire was reported around 1:10 p.m. and there were no immediate reports of injuries.
KPIX-TV reported that the fire started at a construction site.
San Francisco police have asked people in nearby buildings to evacuate and have closed neighboring streets in the Richmond District.
Augustine Ruiz, a spokesman for the United States Postal Service, says a post office nearby was evacuated. He says the fire did not originate from the post office.
