Fierce blaze destroys vacant two-story building in Serra Mesa

San Diego firefighters battled an intense fire in a vacant two-story commercial building in Serra Mesa early Sunday, calling in reinforcements before gaining the upper hand and dousing the flames, authorities said.

The three-alarm fire was reported shortly after midnight at Gramercy Drive near Ruffin Road at the building, named the Guild, officials said.

When firefighters arrived they found the structure engulfed in heavy fire. Crews initially entered the area, but after assessing conditions, they switched to a defensive position because of “the instability of the fully-involved structure,” a San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson said.

The fire was upgraded to a second alarm at 12:12 a.m. and a third alarm about 27 minutes later, said spokesperson Candace Hadley. In all, about 100 firefighters assisted on the blaze.

Crews fought the fire from the exterior, sending streams of water from the top of ladder trucks onto flames and focusing on keeping the fire from spreading to adjacent structures.

There were multiple collapses within the building, Hadley said, prompting crews to take a “strategic tactical pause” for a spell, letting it burn for a while before they moved to “reengage” with the fire.

The fire was knocked down just before sunrise, and crews worked to identify hot spots and mop up the fire until after 11:20 a.m., with some firefighters monitoring the area into the afternoon as a precaution, Hadley said.

According to San Diego police, no evacuations were necessary and officers provided traffic control in the area as firefighters worked.

No injuries were reported. A damage estimate was not available for the structure, which Hadley said was “fully damaged.” The cause of the fire was under investigation.

People commenting on social media said the building had been vacant for several years, had housed various businesses and that it was often used by homeless people.

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This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 2:17 PM.