By Amy Graff
SFGate
SAN FRANCISCO — The living quarters at a Buddhist temple in San Francisco’s Mission District were gutted when a fire broke out on Tuesday evening, officials said. Fifteen nuns and occupants self-evacuated, while three cats and one dog were rescued by firefighters, according to the San Francisco Fire Department.
“This is an example of having a plan, sharing your plan and executing it,” said Capt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesperson for the department. “When you know there’s a fire you should evacuate immediately, and that’s what happened in this case.”
The 2nd alarm fire on the 3100 block of 22nd St. has been extinguished and turned over to the responsible party. This was the residence of the Buddhist temple next door. 3 cats and 1 dog were rescued between 2 buildings. 15 are displaced with 4 needing the American Red Cross. 1… pic.twitter.com/YPzY9BgfOL
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) October 23, 2024
The fire was reported at 5:28 p.m., and 70 firefighters responded to the scene, quickly getting water on the fire and preventing flames from spreading to the neighboring Hua Zang Si Buddhist temple, Baxter said. The fire was under control by 6:28 p.m., but firefighters stayed on scene to treat hot spots.
“When a fire comes under control, we’ve stopped the forward motion so the flames aren’t moving. But there are still areas that are smoldering, and if oxygen or wind gets to those places, that fire could start back up,” Baxter said.
One firefighter had a minor injury and was treated at a local hospital.
Hua Zang Si is housed in a former German Lutheran church, now painted a vibrant red with gray trim and accents, at 3134 22nd St. The temple bases its teachings on those of Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and welcomes all sects of the religion, according to its website. The nuns’ living quarters were housed in a three-story Victorian on 22nd Street near South Van Ness Avenue, and the roof, second and third floors were damaged in the fire, according to the San Francisco Fire Department.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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