San Francisco fire: Crews 'getting the upper hand,' chief says

Smoke rises from a fire Tuesday at a building under construction in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press / )

SAN FRANCISCO -- A massive fire at a condominium construction site near AT&T Park was nearly 60% contained by 7 p.m. Tuesday and firefighters were 'getting the upper hand,' San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said.

Hayes-White said 140 firefighters were spraying nearby buildings to prevent the blaze from burning other structures. She said there were no injuries.

'We are in a defensive mode,' Hayes-White said.

She said a perimeter had been set around the fire scene to keep people away because 'the possibility of collapse is very likely.' The chief said sprinklers had not yet been installed in the burning building, which was to contain hundreds of condos that were to be put up for sale later this year.

'We are not quite contained, but we will be there a in few more hours,' the fire chief said.

Residents in nearby buildings said the heat had broken windows, forced evacuations and could be felt more than a block away.

Some workers reported a scary, smoky commute home, and others took to Twitter to joke that the blaze might be an anti-gentrification plot.

The fire, reported just before 5 p.m., was burning in a neighborhood that includes office buildings, residential units and biotech firms.

ALSO: Long Beach woman who set off Amber Alert faces criminal charges Griffith Park body parts: Suspect faces extradition hearing in Texas Southern California weather: Gusty winds prompt fire danger alert

Twitter: @mauradolan

maura.dolan@latimes.com

We've upgraded our reader commenting system. Learn more about the new features.

Los Angeles Times welcomes civil dialogue about our stories; you must register with the site to participate. We filter comments for language and adherence to our Terms of Service, but not for factual accuracy. By commenting, you agree to these legal terms. Please flag inappropriate comments.

Having technical problems? Check here for guidance.

from Google News http://#

via IFTTT

Tweet