Two Dogs Die, Tenants Displaced in Marin Apartment Fire

IMAGE: Inside the heavily damaged unit. COURTESY: San Rafael Fire Department.

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SAN RAFAEL, CA- A fire tore through a San Rafael apartment complex Tuesday afternoon, killing two dogs and displacing tenants, officials report.

According to San Rafael Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Bob Sinnott, the fire broke out around 3 p.m. at a large home which had been converted into a five-unit apartment building at 109 Ross Street.

"Fire crews encountered two distraught tenants in the front yard advising that their ground floor apartment unit was on fire," Sinnott said. "The tenants, upon returning home, found a fire in the kitchen area and the unit filled with smoke."

Sinnott said the residents acted quickly and grabbed a fire extinguisher, spraying it into the kitchen area, which almost completely put the blaze out.

"Fire crews quickly pulled sheetrock from the walls and ceiling to fully extinguish the fire," he said. "They then spent considerable time ensuring that the fire did not extend to other portions of the building as smoke had traveled to the upper floor and attic."

Thanks to both the tenants' and firefighters' efforts, Sinnott said the other units in the complex were able to be reoccupied following the fire. However, the bottom floor unit was too badly damaged to allow the residents back inside.

"Unfortunately, two dogs that were inside the unit perished," he said, but no other injuries were reported.

Right now, fire officials believe the fire may have started in the kitchen near the stove, but the exact cause is still under investigation. Damages are estimated at $100,000.