Two people are missing after an early Thursday morning fire at an apartment building in San Rafael left eight people injured and displaced more than 50 residents, authorities said at a midday briefing.
The fire was reported at 5:36 a.m. at a three-story, 19-unit building at 516 Canal St. in the city’s Canal neighborhood, San Rafael Deputy Fire Chief Robert Sinnott said.
Some residents had to escape by jumping from the back of the building toward the San Rafael Creek, more commonly known as the Canal. One of those residents suffered serious injuries in the jump to the ground and was taken to a hospital but is expected to survive, San Rafael Police Sgt. Justin Graham said.
Two other people were later taken to a hospital with more minor injuries, while five others were treated at the scene and then released, Sinnott said.
Two people remain unaccounted for following the fire and authorities are asking anyone with information about their whereabouts to call San Rafael police at (415) 485-3000.
San Rafael fire crews had the fire under control in about an hour and had the help of multiple other fire agencies as well as their own fireboat that helped to extinguish the flames from the Canal side of the building, Sinnott said.
About 55 people were displaced as a result of the fire, and city officials have set up an evacuation center at the Albert J. Boro Community Center at 50 Canal St. San Rafael deputy director of emergency management Quinn Gardner said the city will open a shelter elsewhere so they will have a place to sleep Thursday night.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. According to the Regrid national property database, the owner of the property is Scott Bassin of Sugar Land, Texas.
Next door neighbor Melsir De Leon said his wife woke him when she heard someone calling for help. He said he called 911 at 5:28 a.m. and the first fire engine arrived around 5:45.
“When I came down to see if I could help, the fire was already blazing. There were about four people on the deck about to jump and I said, ‘wait,’ and somebody helped me get my extension ladder and we helped the people come down,” De Leon said.
