Category Archives: Fire
Fire guts Milvia house, no injuries
A two-alarm fire at 2606 Milvia Street drew a quick response from the Berkeley Fire Department and was rapidly contained. The fire department was notified of the fire at 9:45 a.m. today. The first engine arrived at 9:52 a.m. and by 10:30 a.m. the fire was contained but still smoldering. According to Assistant Chief Sabina Imrie, everyone was safely evacuated from the house and there were no reported injuries.
A total of five engines and two trucks ultimately responded to … Continue reading »
New fire equipment can shoot water from bay to hills
During the 1991 Oakland hills fire, which destroyed more than 2,500 homes in Berkeley and Oakland and killed 25 people, firefighters were stymied by a lack of water.
The pumps that pushed water through the water mains and into the hills failed when the electricity went off. Scores of houses burned because they could not be protected.
That fire, along with the knowledge that an earthquake on the Hayward fault could cripple water mains, promoted Berkeley residents to pass Measure … Continue reading »
Dog festival to raise funds for burned animal shelter
Every year, the Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society (BEBHS) holds a fundraising event for dogs and people called Bay to Barkers. This year is the 13th year of the Bay to Barkers tradition, and may also be the most important for the BEBHS.
On May 20, there was a devastating fire at the BEBHS which burned down a majority of the building, killed twelve cats, and left many animals homeless. With their goal of raising $25,000, BEBHS hopes … Continue reading »
New spate of arson fires in Berkeley
A week after Berkeley police arrested a man in connection with setting an arson fire on Telegraph, someone else has set two other small trash can fires, according to Berkeley police.
Police responded to a debris fire at 2915 Telegraph Avenue near Russell Street, at about 11:07 p.m. Monday, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss, spokeswoman for the Berkeley police department. Flames were coming out of a blue recycling bin that had been stuffed with newspapers, she said.
A few hours … Continue reading »
Man arrested for setting arson fire
Berkeley police have arrested a man they believe set a trash can fire on Tuesday outside of Sam’s Market on Telegraph, one of a series of nine arson fires that have been plaguing the city.
Travis Eugene Churchill, 25, has been charged with one count of arson and is being held on $50,000 bail in Berkeley City Jail.
A video surveillance camera set up outside Sam’s Market on Telegraph filmed two males walking by around 3:50 am on July … Continue reading »
Series of arson fires set near campus
UC police and Berkeley fire and police officials are investigating a series of at least 10 small fires south of campus that they believe were deliberately set.
The string of arson fires started Friday, July 16 when someone set fire to a number of trash cans along Telegraph Avenue. One can was set on fire in front of a Subway sandwich shop, another on Channing, and a large one on Bancroft and Telegraph.
On Saturday, July 17, at 3:28 am, … Continue reading »
UC Berkeley dorm fire displaces 100 students
Two students were hospitalized and 100 others evacuated after a fire broke out in a UC Berkeley dorm Saturday morning.
Firefighters rushed to Ehrman Hall at 2650 Haste Street around 4:55 am after reports of smoke in the building, according to news reports. They evacuated the building and later discovered that debris at the bottom of the trash chute had caught on fire, sending smoke up to the fourth through eighth floors.
The fire was probably started by someone … Continue reading »
Gear up for the Big One with help from friends
The basement below Barrows Hall was buzzing with activity this morning, since it served as the command center for UC Berkeley’s annual campuswide disaster drill. At University Health Services Tang Center, volunteers simulated having injuries ranging from abrasions to a severed arm, allowing the clinic staff to practice triage and treatment.
The university police and fire departments and hazardous waste teams also established command centers on campus. … Continue reading »
Suspicious fire contained on Ashby Avenue
A suspicious fire broke out today behind 1246 and 1248 Ashby Avenue near Mabel Street. A section of Asbhy was shut down at around 2:30 as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
A fence, a shed and a parked trailer were destroyed in the fire. A nearby tree was heavily scorched and police say the fire spread to the roof of the apartment building at 1246 Ashby.
A neighbor on the scene commented that “a bunch of kids playing around” … Continue reading »
Breaking: Fire at animal shelter guts facility
A fire that broke out shortly after 1 a.m. last night gutted the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society in West Berkeley and killed a number of cats.
According to reports, at least a dozen cats were killed, but many more cats and dogs were rescued by volunteers. The entire cat sheltering area at the 9th Street site was destroyed as well as laundry and offices. The society is currently without water, electricity and phones.
The society is asking … Continue reading »
