Berkeley woman displaced after house fire on California Street
She declined help from the American Red Cross and said neighbors and family would help her with housing.
A fire caused substantial damage at a South Berkeley home Sunday night, displacing at least one resident.
The Berkeley Fire Department has asked its Fire Prevention staff to assess the scene, which generally means at least $100,000 in estimated damage, authorities said.
Someone called 911 to report the fire Sunday in the 2600 block of California Street, near Carleton Street, at about 7:20 p.m.
Neighbors reportedly fought the flames with garden hoses to prevent the fire from spreading, according to unconfirmed early reports.
The Berkeley Fire Department said arriving crews found fire on the back side of the property.
It may have begun outside and spread into the home, but that has not been confirmed, BFD said.
The woman who lives in the home was able to get outside on her own.
She declined help from the American Red Cross and said neighbors and family would help her with housing.
Some local residents said there was a strong smell of plastic during the fire that prompted some people to go inside and close their windows due to health concerns.
"I saw a huge cloud of smoke and red," one local resident said. "Went inside to call 911, but tons of trucks and police started arriving so someone else must have already called. It looked so huge I thought it was farther away."
Neighbors said the woman who lives in the home often hosts a food drive on the corner for people in need.
Police found what appeared to be paint supplies and rags outside. Fire Prevention staff will investigate the cause, including whether the fire was accidental, BFD said.
The fire was under control within about 20 minutes.
