SAN LEANDRO -- A four-alarm fire sent flames soaring 30 feet into the sky, destroyed a well known San Leandro sporting goods store and sent anxious residents of a near-by apartment house streaming into the street before it was controlled.

Alameda County Fire Chief Sheldon Gilbert said arriving units quickly elevated the blaze to four alarms -- calling in mutual aid from nearby cities -- because the flames were intense and threatening a neighboring doctor's office and apartment house.

"It was a fairly large industrial fire," Gilbert said.

Aboual Edmond was having a BBQ with friends when he saw the flames.

"We were in the backyard having a BBQ when we smelled the smoke," he said. "There were flames shooting up everywhere. They were shooting above the trees. They were huge."

Aisha Knowles, public information officer for Alameda County Fire, said the fire was first reported Friday at 11:05 p.m. at West Coast Sporting Goods, which is located at 13720 E. 14th St.

Fire units from Alameda County Fire responded to the scene, as well as units from Oakland, Hayward, Union City and Alameda fire departments. There are about 80 firefighters at the store, Knowles said.

An adjacent apartment complex, Casa Camelias, was completely evacuated, Knowles said. About 100 people were escorted out of the building and some of the second floor apartments suffered cracked windows and smoke damage from the fire.

Alameda County Fire was working with the American Red Cross to provide housing for those residents who cannot return to their apartments tonight, Knowles said.

There are no injuries, Knowles said.