Berkeley attic fire displaces local family
The fire caused "quite extensive damage" to the roof and attic, rendering the home uninhabitable, the Berkeley Fire Department said.
An attic fire over the weekend displaced a family from their northwest Berkeley home.
A neighbor called 911 on Saturday at about 5:30 p.m. after seeing smoke coming from the eaves of the house, in the 1300 block of Hearst Avenue near Acton Street, the Berkeley Fire Department said.
When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from the attic in the front of the building.
At one point, flames could be seen blowing through the roof, authorities said.
"Firefighters attacked the fire through an interior attic scuttle access and from above via the roof," BFD said this week.
Fire crews managed to stop the blaze quickly, before it spread to the rest of the house or to neighboring properties, despite strong winds blowing to the east.
Still, the fire caused "quite extensive damage" to the roof and attic, the fire department said, rendering the home uninhabitable.
Two juveniles and their uncle, who was watching them, were able to get outside on their own. No injuries were reported.
The homeowners were away for the weekend on a camping trip, authorities said.
Berkeley police and the park service worked to contact them after the fire to let them know what happened.
As of this week, the investigation is ongoing, the Berkeley Fire Department said. No damage estimates were available.
