1 dead, several pets rescued in SF Marina District two-alarm fire

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - The San Francisco Fire Department is investigating the cause of a two-alarm apartment fire in the city’s Marina District that left one person dead Friday night.

What we know:

Firefighters were called to an apartment building on Filbert Street between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street just before 9:30 p.m. 

Crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from the third floor, and discovered a resident lying in the hallway.

"Unfortunately, that victim was found deceased," said Lt. Mario Elias, of The San Francisco Fire Department.   

Firefighters believe the blaze started inside the victim’s apartment, which they described as a possible hoarding situation that made battling the flames more difficult.

What they're saying:

Residents described chaotic scenes as they rushed home to their building Friday night.

"Everyone had pets, and nobody knew where they were, so people were in a panic," said David, who lives in the building. 

He credited his landlord, Marla, with heroically rescuing his dog.

"She finds our keys, goes into my apartment and first gets my dog, then goes back in to get two other dogs from under a bed, all while the fire was happening. It was insane," added David.

Firefighters said flames began moving through a narrow lightwell between buildings, raising concerns the fire could spread further. Despite those conditions, crews rescued two more dogs and two cats, all safely returned to their owners.

The fire was brought under control a little over an hour later. Every other resident and animal in the building was accounted for.

"The fire department honestly did an incredible job containing it," said David.

The Red Cross assisted several displaced families. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.