Firefighter Injured in Park Street Blaze, Damage Estimated at $1 Million

Updated Tuesday, March 26, 5:20 p.m.

One firefighter received a shoulder injury in Tuesday morning's fire at 1203 Park St. that caused about $1 million worth of damage to the building and its contents, an Alameda Fire Department spokesman said.

Capt. James Colburn said the injured firefighter was treated at the scene. No civilians were injured, he said.

Fire officials received reports of the fire at 1203 Park St., near San Jose Avenue, at 2:37 a.m. Tuesday, he said.

There was a total of about $1 million in damage to the building and its contents, Colburn said. The fire started in an apartment on the third floor of the building, but the cause remains under investigation, he said.

At least six residents in the six apartments on the second and third floors have been displaced. The American Red Cross responded to the scene to assist them, Colburn said.

The fire did not spread to the two commercial units on the ground floor, a clothing store and iSalon, although the businesses have water damage, Colburn said.

Colburn described the scene of the fire this way:

"Firefighters arrived at 2:41 a.m. and found a 'working structure fire' in a three-story building, with fire on the second and third floors. This building is comprised of two businesses on the first floor with six apartments above.

"Firefighters evacuated the occupants, pulled hose lines from the first-arriving engine company and attacked the fire.

"The incident was upgraded to a 2nd Alarm at 2:46 am, bringing all 25 on-duty AFD firefighters to the scene. Oakland Fire Department was called for mutual aid; they sent four fire companies and a battalion chief to provide station coverage. 

"As the fire intensified, firefighters backed out of the building and operated in a 'defensive mode,' using an aerial ladder pipe and several hose lines to fight the fire and protect surrounding structures. The fire was 'knocked down' at 4:27 am and confined to the one building." 

The building is directly across the street from Big O Tires and near Jackson Park.

Bay City News Service contributed to this article.