Flames ravaged a San Leandro apartment complex Tuesday evening, displacing 160 residents just as they were to settle in for Christmas celebrations. According to officials, the Alameda County Fire Department scrambled to control the fire on the 13700 block of East 14th Street at around 5:17 p.m.

The blaze, initially on the third floor of the 42-unit building, quickly spread to an adjoining unit. Firefighters toiled non-stop to knock down the two-alarm fire in roughly 30 minutes. Despite the quick action, the building suffered extensive smoke and water damage and was subsequently red-tagged, deeming it uninhabitable, as per a KRON report.

While no injuries were reported among the community members or emergency personnel, the holiday season turned cold for the affected residents. The local Red Cross chapter was dispatched to immediately assist those forced suddenly from their homes. Initially, Alameda County Fire posted that two, later updated to three, elderly residents had been displaced.

The city mulled over opening a shelter to quickly host the displaced but ultimately decided to issue hotel vouchers instead. The affected area remained an active scene well into the evening, with officials urging the public to steer clear, echoed in an Alameda County Fire Department post. The Red Cross met with firefighters to cohesively work and support those impacted

Working center hall way fire at 14550 East 14th Street in San Leandro. Please avoid the area. #ALCOFIRE pic.twitter.com/wQgK7ZjBph

— Alameda County Fire (@AlamedaCoFire) December 25, 2023