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Cause of fire at Pier 45 remains unknown
Tom Vacar reports.
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco fire officials said on Tuesday that they are tending to flare-ups at three locations in the footprint of the burn area at San Francisco's Pier 45 where a massive fire erupted days ago.
San Francisco Fire Department Lieutenant Baxter said water monitors are stationed outside of the footprint and delivering water directly to the source.
"We are hopeful that we will have all these hotspots completely out and mitigated within the weeks' end," Baxter said. He said that could change, but based on observations that to be a good possible target date.
Before investigators can comb the scene, all flare-ups and hotspots need to be out.
Baxter said that's when investigators can come in and begin the process of delaying the tons of material at the scene that have collapsed down to the base footprint of the pier, one Baxter called "tedious" and "time-consuming."
Once fire investigators determine the origin of Saturday's fire, they can then look into a possible cause.
"At this time, our fire investigators have compiled a list of individuals that they are going to be talking to, as witnesses or people who have observed this incident," said Lieutenant Baxter.
Based on early findings, officials don't believe anyone died in the blaze.
"Our rescue teams and some fire rescue teams entered the building to do a quick, rapid, and preliminary search with negative findings. They were pushed out of this fire by the heat and the flames themselves," said Baxter.
Beyond the loss of the one warehouse, millions of dollars worth of fishing gear stored inside, belonging to San Francisco Bay commercial fisherman, went up in smoke. Also damaged was a fish distribution center apart and away from the main processing companies on the other side of the pier which can resume operations after sanitizing for smoke damage.
"At this point we have about 30 or so tenants in those facilities and we're working methodically to clean each bay before we resume fish processing," said Randolph Quezada of the Port of San Francisco.
The historic Navy Liberty Ship, Jeremiah O'Brien, the last original condition World War II cargo ship of its class, was slightly damaged in the blaze. It will be hauled away and placed in temporary storage at Pier 35.