OAKLAND, CA - October 14: Firefighters rescue kittens while responding to a fire in an apartment on the second floor of a building in the 1200 block of 47th Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood in East Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - October 14: Firefighters rescue kittens while responding to a fire in an apartment on the second floor of a building in the 1200 block of 47th Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood in East Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - October 14: Firefighters respond to a fire in an apartment on the second floor of a building in the 1200 block of 47th Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood in East Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. One person died in the fire. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - October 14: Firefighters respond to a fire in an apartment on the second floor of a building in the 1200 block of 47th Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood in East Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. One person died in the fire. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA - October 14: Firefighters respond to a fire in an apartment on the second floor of a building in the 1200 block of 47th Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood in East Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. One person died in the fire. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND — One person died after an apartment fire Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
Around 4:40 p.m., Oakland Fire Department firefighters responded to reports of fire in the 1200 block of 47th Avenue in the city’s Melrose neighborhood. They arrived to find a working fire in a second-floor apartment.
After calling for additional engines, firefighters managed to knock down and control the fire within twenty minutes.
While canvassing the building, firefighters found an unresponsive resident who was later pronounced dead, fire department spokesman Michael Hunt said. While Alameda County Sheriff’s Office coroner’s officials will provide an official cause of death, preliminary evidence suggests smoke inhalation may be a factor, he added.
There were no other immediate reports of injuries or residential displacement, but a resident said Thursday evening that they and a partner were displaced and received hotel and food support from Red Cross Bay Area staff.
Check back for updates. Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.
