A Tuesday evening fire in Adams Point has displaced residents of around 12 apartments.
The Oakland Fire Department responded to reports of flames and people trapped inside a building at 200 Fairmount just before 8 p.m.
“We had our first alarm and resources on the scene within three minutes,” said Battalion Chief Anthony Sanders in a video shared by OFD after the incident.
The fire proved “challenging” to put out because of the building’s water piping system. Firefighters had to feed hoses into a top floor and snake them through the building. They had the fire under control in about 30 minutes.
No residents or firefighters were injured, but a tenant’s pet cat died in the fire.
Flames damaged just four of the 66 apartments split between two buildings on the Fairmount property. But 11 or 12 apartments were damaged in total, by smoke and water, and residents of all these units will be displaced, Sanders said. Tenants of unaffected units were let back into the building the same evening.
“The great, aggressive actions by the crews really stopped this thing from spreading,” Sanders said. “At the end of the day, it’s a great save.”
We couldn’t immediately reach an OFD spokesperson to learn what support the displaced tenants are receiving. Often in residential fires, the Red Cross provides immediate assistance.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to OFD.
Sanders noted that 200 Fairmount is situated in the middle of three fire districts — including Fire Station No. 10, which reopened last fall after three years of renovations. Two other stations in other parts of the city were temporarily closed recently as well, because of Oakland’s budget crisis.
Earlier this year, another apartment fire a mile away displaced dozens of residents at 1770 Broadway.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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