This morning, an Oakland warehouse became the scene of a fatal incident. More than 40 firefighters responded to a 2-alarm blaze in the 10000 block of Russett St., where they later discovered the body of a deceased individual during the building's overhaul, as reported by the Oakland Fire Department.
Over 40 firefighters responded to a 2 Alarm warehouse fire this morning in the 10000 block of Russett St.
— Oakland Fire Department (CA) (@OaklandFireCA) February 3, 2025
During overhaul of the building, firefighters discovered the body of a deceased individual. A Fire Investigator is on scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation. pic.twitter.com/gsSqm2wEVH
While the cause of the fire is still under active investigation, Battalion Chief Anthony Sanders commented that the structure was abandoned and may have been home to "squatters or the unhoused living there," as stated in a KTVU interview. The fire report came in just before 6 a.m., and crews managed to get the situation under control by 6:55 a.m., although they were not able to prevent the tragic loss of life.
In a concurrent incident, Berkeley firefighters were called to extinguish a blaze that injured four individuals. Fire Chief David Sprague reported that the fire was near Cedar and Ninth Streets. Sprague detailed how his team had to make ventilation holes on the roof quickly to let out heat and smoke, as described in the KTVU news article.
By 6 a.m., the Berkeley fire had been subdued to the mop-up stage. The KTVU report highlighted the efficiency and swift action of the responding firefighters in containing the fire, indicating that despite the early hour, they managed to control the rapidly evolving situation effectively.
