A major blaze broke out overnight in SF's Inner Richmond, destroying or damaging five row houses on 5th Avenue between Balboa and Anza streets, leaving one pet cat dead and 35 people displaced.

The fire began around 1:54 am Friday, as KRON4 reports, on the 500 block of 5th Avenue, near USF, and flames quickly spread across three adjacent three-story residences. It became a four-alarm blaze, with 140 firefighters on the scene, trying to keep it from consuming more of the block.

SF Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen tells the Chronicle that firefighters feared further spread of the fire due to the closeness of the structures and the fact that they were all wood-sided.

Photo via SFFD

Firefighters would go on to battle the flames for several hours, and the SFFD public information officer posted to X that forward progress on the fire had been stopped as of 4:37 am Friday, with five buildings sustaining damage.

A total of 35 residents were displaced in the blaze, and a cat that was initially reported missing was later found deceased.


Images posted by the SFFD showed significant flames at the rear of the buildings.

Residents are now being rehoused with the help of the Red Cross.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.