OAKLAND — An East Oakland homeless encampment that was about to be relocated this week caught fire Tuesday night, scorching a tree and destroying several structures, authorities said.
Shortly after 7:45 p.m., firefighters responded to reports of the single-alarm fire in the 1600 block of East 12th Street, and began working to battle flames and to guide bystanders to safety.
As embers and black smoke visible from several miles away rose into the air, Oakland police officers also responded, blocking off traffic along nearby streets to allow for additional resources to arrive and safeguard structures.
The fire was listed under control by 8:30 p.m., and a cause was still under investigation Wednesday afternoon. There were no injuries at the scene and no one required help from Red Cross Bay Area staff.
An initial assessment of a half-dozen to dozen people’s displacement was changed when no one at the scene admitted living there. Officials said the camp had been scheduled to be relocated at some point Wednesday.
Hello from Oakland which is slightly on fire pic.twitter.com/osrUxfPubb
— @besha.bsky.social (@besha) May 8, 2019
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.
