Alameda Fire Department (AFD) responded to three serious emergencies in just over 13 hours, starting Tuesday, March 25, at 2:18 p.m. to just past 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, March 26.
Structure fire on Pacific Avenue
The first emergency call was a report of a structure fire in the 700 block of Pacific Avenue, on Tuesday at 2:28 p.m. AFD responded with four fire engines, one fire truck, two medic units, the Alameda Care Team, two Chief Officers, and the Disaster Preparedness Officer.
Crews found smoke and fire in a rear unit of a deep lot and were able to contain the fire to the area of origin. The fire was under control in approximately 35 minutes, according to an AFD report on Facebook.
Assistance for traffic control was provided by Alameda Police Department. Alameda Municipal Power and PG&E were requested for utility control. Building officials also responded to the scene.
The Red Cross was contacted for two displaced occupants. No firefighter or civilian injuries were reported. The on-duty fire investigator is conducting the investigation.
Car crash at UPS Store
Around 45 minutes after the structure fire on Pacific Avenue, AFD responded to an emergency call when a car crashed into the UPS Store at the Bridgeside Shopping Center on Blanding Avenue at around 3:15 p.m.
The driver had experienced a medical emergency before plowing the white BMW fully into the store, according to a KTVU News report.
The driver was taken to a hospital, AFD reported. No patrons or bystanders were injured. A building inspector was called to the scene.
Boat fire at Marina Village
About 12 hours later, AFD responded to a fire at the Marina Village Yacht Harbor on Wednesday, March 26, at approximately 3:30 a.m., according to an Alameda Fire Department report on Facebook.
When Alameda Fire Department firefighters arrived, they found two boats on fire and nearby boats at the dock also were threatened. Crews deployed hose lines approximately 400 feet down to the area where the fire was burning, and started extinguishing the flames, according to the AFD report.
AFD Fire Boat 1 also responded to assist with fire suppression efforts. Sixteen personnel responded to the scene. The firefighters’ quick actions contained the fire to the initial boats with no damage to nearby vessels, AFD stated.
One of the boats was occupied at the time of the fire and the occupant was able to escape without injury, AFD stated.
One of the boats sank to the bottom of the harbor and the other was badly damaged, according to a KTVU News report. Firefighters said it would be up to the owners of those boats and their insurance companies to remove the burned-up vessels from the water.
According to the AFD report, the department has coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard to make appropriate notifications and the Oakland Fire Department to deploy a floating boom to contain fluids and debris.
Fire spokesman Kevin Tidwell told KTVU News that AFD didn’t yet know what started the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
