Residents of Oakland apartment building rescued by firefighters
Oakland residents rescued by firefighters in apartment building fire
Residents of 11 apartment units are displaced after a 2-alarm fire in Oakland on Tuesday. Fire officials say the only death in the 66-unit building was a residents cat. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Residents of a five-story apartment building in Oakland were rescued by firefighters on Tuesday night.
The Oakland Fire Dept. responds to a 2-alarm fire on the 200 block of Fairmount Ave. April 7, 2026.
Smoke and flames on upper floor
What we know:
Officials said the call about the 2-alarm fire on the 200 block of Fairmount Avenue came in just before 8 p.m.
A total of four units, in the 66-unit building, were damaged in the fire. The building is divided into two sections.
No injuries were reported to tenants or firefighters. However, one resident's cat died, fire officials said.
Oakland Fire Department Battalion Chief Anthony Sanders said the original call was of reports of smoke and flames from an upper floor with people trapped inside. He said the first engine arrived on the scene at about 7:52 p.m.
"The fire itself was pretty challenging. Crews had to stretch hose lines into the upper floor," Sanders said. He said all the water had to be brought in from their fire hoses as there was no pipe mechanism within the building to help crews fight the fire. "It did take a minute for crews to get lines in place."
Sanders said it was good that the building is located right in the middle of three fire districts, "especially Engine 10", which was reopened after being renovated in 2025.
The battalion chief said the fire crews' quick action paid off.
"This thing definitely had potential to affect units laterally as well as vertically," said Sanders. "The fire did end up getting into the attic space as well."
The firefighters had to open up the building's roof to fight the fire.
Additional resources were called in case the fire got out of hand, but the fire was under control by 8:20 p.m., officials said.
Sanders said crews will remain on the scene to check for hot spots and to mop up.
Residents displaced
Residents of 11 apartment units will be displaced from either smoke or water damage, officials said.
Tenants of the unaffected units have been allowed back inside their apartments.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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