One woman is in critical condition after a fire erupted inside a unit at a housing complex at 390 Valencia St. early Thursday morning.
The woman suffered from smoke inhalation and was transported to San Francisco General Hospital sometime around 8:30 a.m.
Firefighters responded around 7 a.m. to reports of a first-alarm fire inside a closet of a second story apartment at Valencia Gardens.
By 7:22 a.m. the fire was reported contained by the apartment building’s sprinkler system.
Neighbors of the fire victim said they had been worried that her daughter and grandchildren might have been visiting when the fire erupted, but were relieved to find out that they were away and unaffected by the blaze.
Water from the firefighting efforts drenched one apartment below the affected unit. The resident there was sitting outside in her car waiting for fire fighters to remove the water, hoping to be able to return to her home.
San Francisco Fire Department Spokesperson Jonathan Baxter said that the apartment adjacent to the fire-damaged unit suffered extensive water damage from the sprinklers.
“It is unclear if that person will be displaced as well – city services have been advised,” said Baxter. Mission Housing Development Corporation, which owns and operates Valencia Gardens, says nobody will be displaced.
“Mission Housing is firmly committed to ensuring the welfare of our tenants in such a circumstance,” said Sam Moss, Executive Director of Mission Housing, in a statement. “We are in the process determining the needs of all residents effected. A Mission Housing tenant would NEVER be displaced by a fire.”
A spokesperson for Mission Housing also wrote that the nonprofit has a contractor evaluating the extent of the fire and water damage and will know soon whether any residents must be relocated.
Baxter said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
#030917WF1 UPDATE 1 adult victim is now critical at SFGH. We have one person(victim) displaced fire under investigation pic.twitter.com/X8FcRyRjoI
— San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) March 9, 2017