A historic fountain on San Francisco’s downtown waterfront caught fire Wednesday as crews were disassembling the concrete structure, multiple news outlets report.
Workers were cutting into the Vaillancourt Fountain with a blowtorch when the rubber tubing and debris inside caught fire. Officials said the smoke was so thick that nearby recreation areas had to be briefly evacuated.
Named for its designer, Armand Vaillancourt, the 40-foot-high fountain was built out of precast concrete tubes and completed in 1971. Its modernist design drew criticism and praise over the years. U2 frontman Bono infamously spray-painted graffiti on the fountain during a free concert in 1987.
Authorities decided to dismantle the fountain after May 2024, when the last pump in the structure failed, the water stopped flowing and the fountain was drained.
