A fire engulfed a warehouse on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf early Saturday, sending a thick plume of smoke over the waterfron...
A fire engulfed a warehouse on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf early Saturday, sending a thick plume of smoke over the waterfront and threatening to spread to a historic World War II-era ship before firefighters brought the flames under control.
No injuries have been reported and firefighters were making multiple searches to ensure no one was inside the building on Pier 45, San Francisco Fire Lt. Jonathan Baxter told reporters from the scene.
The warehouse, which holds fish processing equipment and a few offices, is typically unoccupied at night but homeless people have been seen in buildings and warehouses in the area, Baxter said.
'That is something of grave concern, that is why we're actively trying to confirm if anybody saw anybody in this building,' he told KGO-TV.
Fire crews responded to the scene at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf around 4am on Saturday
The flames raged in a warehouse, threatening a historic WWII Liberty ship docked next to the fire
The SS Jeremiah O'Brien, one of two functional WWII Liberty ships, was saved after firefighters intervened
The partially collapsed, roofless warehouse is seen after the fire was brought under control
'To our knowledge ... nobody is supposed to be in the building and we are hoping ... that there is no victim,' Baxter said.
The fire broke out before dawn and tore through the warehouse near the end of the concrete pier, causing its walls to collapse, Baxter said. The first fire truck to respond to the scene sustained some damage.
More than 130 firefighters fought the flames, with some using ladder trucks to drench the warehouse from above.
A fire boat was used to protect the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, a Liberty ship that stormed Normandy on D-Day in 1944.
The ship docks by Pier 45 as a floating museum and is a popular tourist attraction.
Photos of the inferno were shared online by Dan Whaley, the founder of educational startup Hypothes.is.
A fire engulfed a warehouse on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf early Saturday
More than 100 San Francisco Firefighters battle a four-alarm fire on Pier 45 on Fisherman's Wharf with Alcatraz Prison in the background in San Francisco on Saturday
First responders battle a massive fire that erupted at a warehouse early Saturday, May 23, 2020 in San Francisco. Arriving crews were confronted with towering flames engulfing the warehouse
A runner passes over hoses after a fire broke out before dawn at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. A warehouse was destroyed. Fire officials said no injuries have been reported Saturday morning and firefighters are making multiple searches
Fire officials carry a hose in front of The Grotto restaurant after a fire broke out before dawn at Fisherman's Wharf
Fire officials work in front of a sign for Musee Mecanique after a fire broke out before dawn at Fisherman's Wharf
Eighteen American shipyards built 2,710 Liberty ships between 1941 and 1945, but the O'Brien is one of only two of the wartime cargo transports that is still functional.
'We can confirm the O'Brien remains intact and doing well. This is only because of the rapid response of our amazing SF Firefighters & Fire boats,' the National Liberty Ship Memorial said in a statement.
'Our firefighters absolutely saved the SS Jeremiah O'Brien during this fire as flames were pinching on the side of this vessel,' Baxter said.
Coast Guard crew members and police assisted by keeping other vessels away from the pier.
A firefighter sprays onto lingering hotspots in the collapsed warehouse after a fire broke out before dawn
More than 100 San Francisco Firefighters battle a four-alarm fire on Pier 45 on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco
A fire official walks near a warehouse after a fire broke out before dawn at Pier 45 at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco
Fire officials said no injuries have been reported Saturday morning and firefighters are making multiple searches to ensure no one was inside the building on Pier 45
Firefighters douse hotspots after containing the fire on Fisherman's Wharf on Saturday morning
A fire official is shown reflected in a puddle in a warehouse after a fire broke out before dawn at Fisherman's Wharf
Fire investigators were assessing any damage to the pier and were looking into the cause of the blaze, Baxter said.
As of 8.30am the fire was still active but was no longer in danger of spreading, officials said.
The walls of the warehouse collapsed and firefighters were pouring water on the remaining hot spots.
A cause for the blaze has yet to be determined, but Baxter said that fire investigators are 'looking at the possibility that homeless people were inside'.
A fisherman whose boat is docked at Pier 45 told the San Francisco Chronicle that homeless people often hang out in the warehouse and sometimes build fires for cooking.
Eighteen American shipyards built 2,710 Liberty ships between 1941 and 1945, but the O'Brien is one of only two of the wartime cargo transports that is still functional
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