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Fire marshal: Mission District saw larger fires, many accidental; arson task force cuts backlog but investigations remain
Summary
The Fire Marshal presented a multi‑year analysis showing the Mission District averaged about 17 working structure fires per year but experienced more 'greater alarms' last year; the department reduced its investigative backlog from roughly 407 to 135 open reports and identified electrical faults as a leading accidental cause in the Mission.
Fire Marshal DeCocio told the commission that the Mission District’s overall number of working structure fires has stayed roughly flat since 2004 — "it's roughly 17 a year" — but last year the district experienced more greater‑alarm incidents, producing larger and more disruptive fires. "We had more greater alarms than we typically would have…Last year, we had 7 in the Mission," the fire marshal said.
He outlined the department’s arson/task investigative resources: a task force led by a captain (Captain Bowden), a training lieutenant, nine investigators working 24‑hour rotations, and coordination with SFPD and the city attorney’s office on criminal follow‑up. The marshal said the investigatory queue has fallen from about 407 open reports a little over a year ago to roughly 135 now, and the department is targeting a normal carrying load of about 70 cases.
The marshal flagged cause trends in the Mission: a high share of accidental causes linked to electrical problems. "The majority [in the Mission] have been accidental…about a third are related to electrical faults," he said, contrasting that with a national expected share closer to 8 percent. He and commissioners agreed that focused prevention work — outreach to residents and property owners about electrical hazards and older wiring — should be part of the department’s response.
What happens next: the department will continue targeted community outreach, deploy a newly funded fire inspector/outreach position to neighborhood‑level education, and coordinate with the police and district attorney when criminal causes are suspected.
