The city of Oakland on Monday gave displaced residents of a building fire temporary shelter and will support them “around the clock,” Mayor Barbara Lee said.
Three people were injured and scores of tenants were displaced following a three-alarm fire that ripped through a five-story building in the 1700 block of Broadway Monday morning at about 7 a.m.
Firefighters rescued multiple residents from upper floor units and evacuated the occupants from over 40 other units, the Fire Department said.
About 60 firefighters responded to the blaze, which was under control by 8:40 a.m., though a “fire watch” remained in place until 6 p.m. to make sure no errant embers caused issues.
Fire officials said three patients were treated and transported to a hospital for smoke inhalation and one firefighter suffered a minor injury.
The first floor of the building is commercial and the four floors above are residential. All five stories were damaged by fire or water, Oakland Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hunt said.
Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire that engulfed a building in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Monday morning, Jan. 19, 2026.
The fire was reported at a residential building in the 1700 block of Broadway near 19th Street. (Oakland Fire Department via Bay City News)
Displaced residents will be connected to legal resources such as Central Legal “so they know their rights,” Lee said, and the Red Cross stepped up with immediate needs such as clothing and supplies.
A temporary shelter was set up at the Willie Keyes Recreation Center at 3131 Union St. As of Monday night, 17 people were staying there. The shelter has room for 75, the city said.
The building has been red-tagged and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.