Car crashes into gas station in San Francisco, driver hospitalized

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A car crashed into a structure on the property of a Chevron in San Francisco at 19th Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard around 3 a.m. Friday, starting a fire and creating concern about a gas leak.

"That structure is part of the system that controls the vapors when you fill your car. It withdraws the vapors being pumped out of the tank. So that's part of that system. So it provided us with an extra hazard. But we controlled that with lines while they rescued the individual that was trapped in the vehicle," said Battalion Chief Brian Rubenstein.

He said 33 firefighters were on scene. Some put out the fire and monitored the air and any potential threat while others rescued the driver.

"Incidentally it was necessary to remove the roof of the car to extricate the individual. Even once the roof was removed, they were pinned in the car. Technically it was quite difficult. We had good crews that got him out of the car," Rubenstein said.

He said the driver was conscious and was taken to the hospital.

They are investigating whether he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Not other cars were involved.