A serious fire exploded in an Oakland warehouse Friday evening.
OAKLAND — A major fire broke out in East Oakland near the Coliseum on Friday at a commercial warehouse near homes.
The four-alarm fire that erupted at about 4:55 p.m. could be seen from miles away and was not immediately contained. A total of 75 firefighters were battling the blaze as of 5:20 p.m., said Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt.
At about 7 p.m., Hunt said the fire had been knocked down and fire personnel were working through hotspots. He said he considered it a “huge success” that crews prevented the high flames from spreading to most nearby buildings.
One nearby residential building was burned, but Hunt said it appeared to be vacant. No injuries were reported.
The warehouse is located on East 8th Street, between 52nd Avenue and 53rd Avenue, near San Leandro Street, about a mile from the Coliseum.
Flames also singed a utility pole, knocking out power to nearby customers. The Red Cross was called to help people affected by the fire.
Firefighters did evacuate some residents; among them was Griselda Varela, who said FFs helped her transport her father, who uses a wheelchair. She said she was worried about spread, especially since she lives next to a property where wooden pallets are sacked high on the lot.
The fire came on a day when the Oakland Fire Department was already on high-alert, especially in the Oakland Hills over fears that fireworks will spark blazes.
Hunt said OFD got calls about the fire from San Francisco and the Oakland hills expressing alarm because of the heavy smoke. It was a stark contrast to most warehouse fires in Oakland, which typically occur at night, he said.
“This one looked a lot more dramatic,” Hunt added.
Nearby resident Sonya Pelaez said she watched the dark smoke drift over the elevated BART tracks — which remained active — from her home on San Leandro Street. She described it as “the usual armageddon that goes on in East Oakland.”
“Just another day in paradise in an overlooked neighborhood,” Pelaez said.
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OAKLAND — A major fire broke out in East Oakland near the Coliseum on Friday at a commercial warehouse near homes.
The four-alarm fire that erupted at about 4:55 p.m. could be seen from miles away and was not immediately contained. A total of 75 firefighters were battling the blaze as of 5:20 p.m., said Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt.
At about 7 p.m., Hunt said the fire had been knocked down and fire personnel were working through hotspots. He said he considered it a “huge success” that crews prevented the high flames from spreading to most nearby buildings.
One nearby residential building was burned, but Hunt said it appeared to be vacant. No injuries were reported.
The warehouse is located on East 8th Street, between 52nd Avenue and 53rd Avenue, near San Leandro Street, about a mile from the Coliseum.
Flames also singed a utility pole, knocking out power to nearby customers. The Red Cross was called to help people affected by the fire.
Firefighters did evacuate some residents; among them was Griselda Varela, who said FFs helped her transport her father, who uses a wheelchair. She said she was worried about spread, especially since she lives next to a property where wooden pallets are sacked high on the lot.
The fire came on a day when the Oakland Fire Department was already on high-alert, especially in the Oakland Hills over fears that fireworks will spark blazes.
Hunt said OFD got calls about the fire from San Francisco and the Oakland hills expressing alarm because of the heavy smoke. It was a stark contrast to most warehouse fires in Oakland, which typically occur at night, he said.
“This one looked a lot more dramatic,” Hunt added.
Nearby resident Sonya Pelaez said she watched the dark smoke drift over the elevated BART tracks — which remained active — from her home on San Leandro Street. She described it as “the usual armageddon that goes on in East Oakland.”
“Just another day in paradise in an overlooked neighborhood,” Pelaez said.