Flags at Half-Mast to Honor SF Firefighters

Flags at Gilroy’s three fire stations are flying at half-mast Friday to observe the death of a San Francisco firefighter who lost his life in a house fire that critically wounded another firefighter and left a third with minor injuries, Capt. Tim Price said.

Lt. Vincent Perez died while fighting a fire in a four-story home in San Francisco. Temperatures within the home grew hot enough for its contents to spontaneously ignite, a dangerous condition known as “flashover,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The flag salute marked the end of a busy 24-hour period for Gilroy firefighters, said Price. A debris fire at 8:48 a.m. Thursday was followed by a fire in a two-story home at 6332 Poppyfield St. that afternoon.

A call reporting that smoke was escaping from a window came in at 3:25 p.m. Thursday, he said. Firefighters forced entry into the unoccupied home and found a free-burning fire at an oven/range, Price said.

“The fire was quickly extinguished, but extensive overhaul was done,” he said, referring to the thorough cooling of surrounding material to help prevent reigniting.

Two engines and a ladder truck from Gilroy responded, along with another engine from the nearby South Santa Clara County Fire Protection District, he said.

Had the initial report of the smoke not come in, Price said the home could have suffered enough damage that it would be uninhabitable.

Estimates that included a projected value for the home put the damage at around $25,000, the captain said. There were no injuries.

Firefighters also responded to a trash can fire near 7237 Monterey St. at 4:57 a.m. Friday, and a series of medical calls throughout the day, he said.

“We had a pretty busy day yesterday,” said the captain.