Melted Crane Removed From 5-Alarm Fire Wreckage
EMERYVILLE (CBS SF) -- A crane at risk of falling on firefighters and homes near a construction site that burned down Saturday on the border of Oakland and Emeryville was no longer a threat, Alameda County fire officials said Sunday.
The crane that was bent over following a five-alarm fire at 3800 San Pablo Ave. in Emeryville was down as of 2:08 a.m.
Alameda County fire spokeswoman Aisha Knowles said 35 residents temporarily evacuated because the crane could have fallen on their homes are starting to return to the area.
Knowles said it's too early to say what started the fire. She said it's being investigated.
But this is the second time in less that a year that the site burned down.
In July of last year a six-alarm fire consumed the site, which was still under construction as it was on Saturday when the five-alarm fire burned it down.
PG&E is working to restore power to homes across the street and to others nearby, Knowles said.
No one has said they were injured in the fire but flames damaged four townhouses adjacent to the construction site.
Firefighters were alerted to the fire at 4:58 a.m. and by 7:16 a.m. it was contained. When the site was under construction last year, workers were building 105 apartments and 25,000 square feet of commercial space.
As of 9:30 a.m. Sunday, San Pablo Avenue and Adeline Street, which were closed following the fire, were reopened.
But westbound West MacArthur Boulevard between Market Street and San Pablo Avenue in Oakland remains closed, according to police.
Also, 39th Street at Adeline Street is closed. Police did not say when the two roads will reopen.
RELATED: 6-Alarm July Fire Destroys East Bay Apartments Under Construction
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