A three-alarm fire injured four people and displaced 70 residents early this morning at a four-story building in East Oakland. Oakland Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hunt told The Oaklandside in an emailed statement that 19 of the 21 units were occupied at the time of the fire.
According to OFD Chief Damon Covington, the fire broke out at 12:43 a.m. at a 21-unit apartment complex located at 5142 Bancroft Ave. Covington said 65 firefighters responded and the building has been red-tagged. A temporary shelter has been opened for the displaced residents at the Ira Jinkins Community Center at 9175 Edes Ave.
“We had rescues on multiple floors of the building,” Covington said. “Crews did an amazing job of getting everyone out of the building without any loss of life,” Covington said.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee posted a statement on social media saying that various city departments are “taking action to support our neighbors.” She added that if community members want to support the families affected, to donate directly to the Red Cross. She also thanked first responders, city staff, and the Red Cross for “working around the clock to support our neighbors.”
“The City is providing a shelter for displaced residents for this incident, which includes staff providing support to connect residents with services and housing options,” city spokesperson Jean Walsh said in an emailed statement. “It is expected to remain available through the weekend and the City will reassess needs on Monday.”
The 21-unit apartment complex was red-tagged after the fire. Credit: courtesy of the Oakland Fire Department
This isn’t the first time that the building caught fire. According to code enforcement records, a fire broke out on June 7, 2021, in a third-floor unit, displacing two adults and one child.
The building has also racked up a long list of complaints and violations. Several of the violations through the years include roach and rodent infestations, blight of trash, debris, and overgrown vegetation, water leaks, no heat or power in some of the units, and missing smoke detectors.
In 2013, the property owner was cited due to the building not having sprinklers inside. In 2021, a violation was filed due to an “unapproved alteration/ conversion of utility room into a separate habitable unit, with unapproved kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.”
We were unable to immediately reach the building’s owner Yi Sun.
The fire department said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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