Someone saw 'flames' but those were just citizens :0
One Person Injured in Downtown San Francisco Explosion
Source: kcbs
Publication date: 2005-08-19
(KCBS) - An explosion shook office buildings near Post and Kearny streets in downtown San Francisco shortly before ten o'clock Friday morning.
San Francisco fire captain Pete Howes told KCBS a man hole cover in front of the Ralph Lauren store at the corner of Post and Kearny appeared to have exploded, although the exact cause of the blast is under investigation.
"We found the front of the Crocker Galleria on that corner had been singed," Howes said. "We've locked the area down."
One person has been taken to the hospital, said Howes, although the extent of the person's injuries was not known.
"I heard this enormous bang," said Dave Kavedaris, who works downtown. "It shook our building. There's an enormous amount of debris out into the street."
Thousands of people were evacuated from office buildings a half block in either direction, said KCBS reporter Tim Ryan at the scene.
The explosion appeared to come from outside the Crocker Galleria.
(updated 10:17am, jro)