BERKELEY, CA - November 18: Firefighters extinguish a two-alarm fire in an abandoned, two-story house in the 900 block of Delaware Street that appeared to have been boarded up, in Berkeley, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. A body was found inside the structure after the blaze was placed under control. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - November 18: Firefighters extinguish a two-alarm fire in an abandoned, two-story house in the 900 block of Delaware Street that appeared to have been boarded up, in Berkeley, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. A body was found inside the structure after the blaze was placed under control. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - November 18: Firefighters extinguish a two-alarm fire in an abandoned, two-story house in the 900 block of Delaware Street that appeared to have been boarded up, in Berkeley, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. A body was found inside the structure after the blaze was placed under control. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - November 18: Firefighters extinguish a two-alarm fire in an abandoned, two-story house in the 900 block of Delaware Street that appeared to have been boarded up, in Berkeley, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. A body was found inside the structure after the blaze was placed under control. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY — The cause of a fire that damaged an abandoned house where a body was found Wednesday night was under investigation, authorities said.
At 8:22 p.m., firefighters responded to reports of flames in the 1700 block of Eighth Avenue in West Berkeley.
When firefighters arrived within four minutes, they found a two-story home in the 900 block of Delaware Street that appeared to have been boarded up.
The structure was fully engulfed, with flames visible from both floors, and firefighters worked to coordinate evacuations from nearby buildings and re-route traffic away from the site.
There were no immediate reports of injuries to firefighters or residents, but firefighters who entered the structure after the fire was declared under control around 9:30 p.m. found a body inside.
Berkeley police will investigate the incident, Berkeley fire assistant chief Keith May said Wednesday night.
