Firefighter falls while mopping up four-alarm North Beach fire

SAN FRANCISCO - A San Francisco firefighter fell to the pavement Sunday morning as he and crews were mopping up a four-alarm fire that ripped through a North Beach apartment building being renovated during the middle of St. Patrick festivities.

The firefighter was working on the top of a ladder truck about 7:30 a.m. when he slipped off the roof of the truck and fell on the pavement below. A battalion chief told KTVU is expected to be OK and was talking to colleagues when he was taken to the hospital.

He was one of the many keeping an eye of the massive fire that ripped through the 27-unit apartment building, which was being renovated, which drew more than 100 firefighters to battle the blaze on Union Street, first reported Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

While the top of the building was empty, the bottom contained several businesses, all affected by the fire.