Major Downtown Blaze Still Smolders Near UC Berkeley

BERKELEY, CA — Around 100 firefighters worked overnight to battle a massive six-alarm blaze in a multi-story apartment building under construction Saturday night, according to multiple reports. The fire was still smoldering Sunday afternoon, according to the Berkeley Fire Department.

Another fire broke out near downtown Sunday morning after units were cleared from the construction site fire, which the department has called the "university incident." The second fire was a two-alarm fire that affected two homes, Berkeley fire officials said.

"A busy night for your Berkeley firefighters," Officials from the department tweeted Sunday afternoon. "We still have units that are on the University incident."

According to multiple reports, nearby businesses were forced to evacuate and Berkeley fire officials were warning people to avoid the area.

No injuries were reported, according to Berkeley police, and University Avenue was still closed between Milvia Street and Shattuck Avenue Sunday morning.

A busy night for your Berkeley firefighters. We still have units that are on the University incident. Shortly after some of our units cleared early this morning, another 2 alarm fire broke out off Delaware St, affecting 2 homes.
— BerkeleyFirefighters (@BerkeleyFD) November 22, 2020

Multimedia reporter for ABC7 Matt Boone tweeted Sunday afternoon that firefighters were dousing the tall building with water but were unable to enter the inside due to structural concerns and that residents remained displaced.

#BREAKING Fire crews are on scene in Berkeley trying to put out a fire in what appears to be an apartment building under construction on University Ave near Shattuck. Neighboring businesses have been evacuated. pic.twitter.com/emDz9PxW5Y
— Matt Boone (@MattBooneNews) November 22, 2020

Saturday night's construction site fire, along the 200 block of University Avenue between Milivia Street and Shattuck Avenue, prompted Berkeley firefighters to call for mutual aid from departments in Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda County, Emeryville, Albany and El Cerrito, according to ABC7 News.

"Thank you to neighboring jurisdictions that provided personnel and apparatus to tonight’s 6 alarm fire," Berkeley fire officials tweeted.

"Glad that we were able to help," Piedmont fire officials tweeted back.