Last week’s five-alarm fire that obliterated most of the 3300 block of Mission Street in Bernal Heights was a heart-stopping sight that charred half a dozen buildings and cost dozens of San Franciscans their homes and livelihoods.
But the view from the street doesn’t really properly contextualize how ruinous the incident was, since the bulk of the damage was to the interiors, eaten up by the hungry inferno that burned for hours.
To get a full perspective, some locals deployed a hovering drone over the locale. You can see the footage below. The images are downright shocking: Though most of the exterior walls are still upright (albeit in terrible condition), the inside is in a state of total collapse. A chilling testimony to the power of the blaze.
The city now says that the fire started in the Cole Valley Hardware store. No cause has been reported yet, but they did rule out anything criminal. The store was a complete loss, as was the Playa Azul restaurant. Several neighboring businesses may or may not reopen.
Perhaps worse are the nearby residential buildings like the Graywood Hotel, which although still standing has been deemed too badly damaged for residents to ever return. It will probably be demolished.
Several local eateries are holding fundraisers to benefit the victims, starting this Saturday.
- Five alarm fire damage [YouTube]
- Fire Breaks Out Mission [Chronicle]
- No Sign of Foul Play in Fire [Bernalwood]
- Benefits For Fire Victims [Chronicle]