Woman Injured, Cat Perishes In Lower Pac Heights FireImage: Google Maps
Fiona Lee
Published on August 21, 2017

Two people were displaced—one of whom suffered critical injuries—after a one-alarm fire broke out in an apartment at 2451 Sacramento St. (near Fillmore) in lower Pacific Heights.

SFFD responded to a fire at 12:17am this morning, which occurred at JFK Towers, an SF Housing Authority building managed by Mercy Housing. After two fire trucks responded to the scene, firefighters forcibly entered the apartment where the fire took place.

The fire reportedly began in the kitchen; firefighters discovered a 66-year-old woman, unconscious and barely breathing, just behind the door amidst the flames and smoke.

The two first responders, Lt. Stephen Silvestrich and firefighter Steve Figueroa, carried the unconscious woman out to the street and performed life-saving techniques. 

Department paramedics then took over and continued emergency medical care. The woman was taken to St. Francis Hospital, where as of this morning, she remains in critical condition. A cat also died in the fire. 

"The San Francisco Fire Department commends T/Lt. Silvestrich, FF/Figueroa, and all units who responded to this fire for their efforts which resulted in a life saved," SFFD spokesperson Jonathan Baxter wrote on Facebook

The fire was limited to the one unit and contained at 1:05am. SFFD is currently investigating the incident.