Fast-moving fire damages 5 homes, and displaces dozens in SF's Richmond District

4-alarm fire damages 5 residential buildings and displaces 35 in San Francisco's Richmond District

Dozens of people are now trying to find a place to stay after a 4-alarm fire damaged 5 multi-unit residential buildings. 3 of them are now uninhabitable.

SAN FRANCISCO - Nearly three dozen people in San Francisco are looking for new places to stay after a four-alarm fire broke out early Friday morning, damaging five homes.

The homes are located on Fifth Avenue near Balboa Street in the Richmond District.

Some are now boarded up as the people who lived in them are figuring out what to do next.

"What happened? I'm wondering how it started, the source of it," said Ken Fong, who surveyed the damage at his father's home, one of five damaged by the fast-moving fire. 

He gave KTVU access to the backyard to see the back of his neighbor's property. 

Officials said the fire started in that neighbor's backyard.

"Half the San Francisco Fire Department responded. I'm very grateful for that. I'm just a little overwhelmed," said Fong.

His 90-year-old father survived as well as his neighbors, despite the chaos and destruction the fire caused. 

According to the fire department, fire dispatch started receiving calls for help shortly before 2 a.m. on Friday. 

Officials said crews arrived four minutes later to find multi-unit residential buildings engulfed in flames.

"I heard the screaming.  I was in and out of sleep. My roommate came down and said, 'Hey, our neighbor's house is on fire'," said Garrett Lynn, a tenant in a building that had minor damage.

"Poked my head out and saw how crazy it was. And I said we have to leave right now."

Fire officials say 35 people are displaced. Among them was Anna, a homeowner, who was salvaging what she could hours after the fire destroyed her home.

Anna told KTVU she plans to stay in a hotel for the time being. She said she was asleep when the fire broke out and didn't know what started the fire, and is distraught over the loss of her home of more than 20 years. 

Fire officials said the cause is under investigation, but that it does not appear suspicious. 

It took crews about three and a half hours to get the fire under control.

"There's no space between the homes. Many of the buildings are very old; wood-framed.  So the wood is dry and old. Because the fire was advanced. It got a jump on us," said Lt. Mariano Elias, a spokesperson with the San Francisco Fire Department. 

Those affected by the fire said they wanted to thank firefighters for their quick response.

Lynn said they saved his home and described his emotions: "Traumatic, but relieved. And a bunch of emotions, like I feel horrible for my neighbors." 

Fire officials said one firefighter suffered an ankle injury.

A cat and two rabbits died in the fire, and three of the homes are uninhabitable.

The other two have moderate and minor damage.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU