Suspicious 5-alarm fire erupts at Oakland townhouse complex

UPDATE: 10/24/2018 2:48 p.m. A massive 5-alarm fire raced through a three-story, under-construction townhouse complex in Oakland early Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of nearby residents and sparking at least four small fires in neighboring buildings, authorities said.

Oakland Fire Chief Darin White said his agency got several 911 calls reporting the blaze around 1:59 a.m. Arriving firefighters encountered heavy smoke, towering flames and a blizzard of flying embers. The response was quickly elevated from two alarms to five alarms.

“There was a significant number of embers blowing eastward in large quantities,” White told reporters at an early morning news conference. “They had the potential of starting fires elsewhere.”

The embers did spark small fires that damaged two occupied homes and a boarded up structure on nearby Isabella, two blocks away from the massive townhouse complex fire.

The blaze was the latest in series of suspicious fires that have gutted large housing projects under construction in the East Bay dating back to 2012. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf did not mince words when she talked with reporters about the cause of Tuesday’s fire.

“We do not know whether this fire was caused by an arsonist but we do know that arsonists have been trying to burn down housing projects in Oakland,” she said. “We are calling on everyone to be vigilant, to look out for this needed construction of housing.”

As was the case with several of the suspicious fires, agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been sent to the scene to search for evidence of arson.

Tuesday’s fire scene also had as many as 16 surveillance cameras installed around it and a security guard was on duty at the time of the blaze. Tapes from the cameras were being reviewed by investigators.

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Flames could be seen for miles as Oakland called in mutual aid from nearby cities. Several streets were closed and approximately 30 people
were evacuated from neighboring Market Street residences as a precaution.

Meanwhile, firefighters were limited in their response because of safety concerns of the six buildings on fire.

“We were forced to take a defensive posture,” White said.

The blaze was contained at around 4:45 a.m. and downgraded to 4 alarms, but many of the 90 firefighter remained on the scene extinguishing hot spots and pouring water on the smoldering debris.

One firefighter suffered a leg injury battling the flames. There were no other injuries reported.

The complex — Oakland 2 Icehouse — stretched the length of an entire block, consisted of six buildings, 126 townhomes and was scheduled to open in December.

CEO Phil Kerr of City Ventures — the company building the complex — said that part of the project was not damaged by the flames.

“We are fortunate that the fire affected only a portion of the development,” he said in a statement. “The balance of the neighborhood, or nearly 50%, was untouched, as this area consisted mostly of concrete foundation work. Of the area affected by the blaze, there were 6 small buildings spread horizontally on the property and mid-way through construction, 4 of which have been destroyed by the fire and 2 which we believe remain unaffected.”

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PREVIOUS STORY:

10/23/2018 9:00 a.m. Fire officials say a massive fire burning at an Oakland townhome complex under construction has destroyed four of six buildings. No injured have been reported.

The large blaze at the complex near West Grand Avenue and Myrtle Street was reported at 1:59 a.m. Tuesday and was still burning as of 7 a.m.

Oakland Deputy Fire Chief Nick Luby tells the East Bay Times that firefighters are still battling fire in the two remaining buildings.

Luby says the cause of the fire remains under investigations and that officials are interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance video.

Since 2016, there have been at least three arson fires at apartment buildings being built in Oakland.

PREVIOUS STORY:

A massive fire ripped through an Oakland, California townhome complex under construction Tuesday morning.

Oakland fire crews are battling the fire at what was described as a modern eco-friendly townhome complex under construction in the West Oakland neighborhood.

This latest fire is one of a string of similar fires that have been discovered to have been intentionally set.

Crews battled five fires after embers from the major fire fell blocks away on homes and a shed.

The biggest fire broke out about 2-am. Officials said four of the six, four-story townhomes comprising 55 units, are considered a total loss.

Firefighters said one firefighter suffered a leg injury and was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

At its peak, 90 firefighters wer called to help and two dozen people were evacuated off Market Street as a precaution. Before dawn PG&E shut off power to about 22-hundred customers in the area.