Burning candle may have sparked Richmond fire

A burning candle igniting a blanket may have caused a three-alarm fire at an apartment building in San Francisco’s Richmond District that injured a firefighter and three tenants early Friday morning, according to police.

But firefighters say that determination is premature and the fire remains under investigation.

The fire broke out at about 1:45 a.m. at an apartment building at 453 23rd Ave., according to the fire department. Two men were critically injured, one for burns and the other for smoke inhalation. A third suffered minor injuries, fire officials said.

While they were fighting the fire, one firefighter suffered a cut to the arm and was taken to a hospital but released later this morning in good condition.

Photos posted by the fire department showed heavy flames on the roof of the three-story Victorian building. There were two adjoining buildings on the property that were both damaged in the blaze, displacing 25 residents.

A cat was rescued from one of the buildings.