In the ongoing demolition of the corner building at Mission and 22nd streets, which is being taken down to street level under an emergency alteration order from the city, a construction vehicle was tripped up Wednesday afternoon, getting stuck partially below grade level, in the building’s basement.
Musician, artist, and “video game designer wizard” Doctor Popular took to Twitter to chronicle the slow process of digging the excavator back out, though construction crews were eventually successful in removing it:
They were tearing down the burned down building on 22nd & Mission when an excavator fell in. Slowly digging it out. pic.twitter.com/S7UaWMUddi
— Doctor Popular (@DocPop) May 12, 2016
Most of the structure of the building has been torn apart, with the exception of a severely fire-damaged elevator structure and stairwell. The building was left to decay for more than a year after the fire before demolition efforts began in earnest.
The building has suffered three different fire events, in March, April and in early May after being destroyed by a large fire in January 2015, when one individual was killed, more than 60 were displaced, and several were injured.
Here are a few additional photos from neighborhood photographer Michael Johnson.
