Update 6 p.m.: The five-alarm fire that ripped through Big House Inc., on Mission Street between 22nd and 23rd streets, has now been largely contained. More than 100 residents are still waiting to return to their homes. Gas and electric are still off for many businesses and homes in the area.
The fire started just after 1 p.m. and quickly grew.
As smoke began pouring out, many Mission residents scrambled to evacuate, Mission Local reports:
Paula Reina, who works at Marketing for Total Care Plus, clinic that just moved onto its new location on Mission Street on Tuesday, was right next to the fire. “I was working on my computer when my boss yelled “Fire” – Immediately, there was smoke. I couldn’t see anything. It was like 9/11 up in there.”
Doctor Anthony Ngo, who owns the the Total Care Plus clinic, immediately evacuated his employees. “I saw black smoke out of the window and I couldn’t breath,” he said. “We gave everybody the day off.”
Sasha Wrazinsky, who lives a few doors down on Bartlett, the street just West of Mission and behind the fire, saw clouds of smoke from her living room window. “My baby was napping and I just grabbed her and ran,” she said.
Several surrounding buildings have sustained smoke and water damage. The owner of New Mission City, next door to Big House Inc., says his whole store and all of its merchandise were destroyed in the fire.
The Salvation Army, working with the Red Cross, has deployed a Disaster Response Team and mobile kitchen to assist fire crews.