2-Alarm Oakland Fire Displaces 6, Causes $100K In Damage
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Fire officials in Oakland said a two-alarm fire Wednesday morning at a two-story multi-family Victorian-style home displaced six people and caused about $100,000 in damage.
The first call to firefighters at 7:42 a.m. was a report of smoke in the home at 1543 Sixth Ave., just southeast of Lake Merritt, Battalion Chief Geoff Hunter said.
When fire crews arrived, they saw flames coming from the home and requested more firefighters. The crews made an aggressive attack from inside the home and cut holes in the roof to be sure the fire didn't reach the attic, Hunter said.
He said Victorian-era homes do not have any fire stops between floors so the fire can burn up the walls.
Firefighters brought the fire under control at 8:13 a.m. but not before it did heavy damage to the garage and a crawl space between the garage and first floor. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from damaging a majority of the house, Hunter said.
No one was injured. The six residents were able to get out on their own, but the house is uninhabitable. The American Red Cross is helping the six with temporary housing and other needs, according to Hunter.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but it appears to be accidental. No other nearby buildings sustained damage.
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