2-alarm fire in Berkeley causes $350,000 in damage

There was a two-alarm fire in North Berkeley on Monday morning. Photo: Katherine Baylor

A North Berkeley house fire early Monday caused approximately $350,000 in damage and left the home uninhabitable, officials said.

The Berkeley Fire Department received a call at 5:38 a.m. about the fire, in a two-story home in the 1300 block of Delaware Street, between Franklin and Chestnutstreets, said Avery Webb, deputy fire chief.

Webb said a callertold dispatch that lots ofsmoke was coming out from under the eaves of the home, which was not occupied because it was undergoing a remodel.

There was a two-alarm fire in North Berkeley on Monday morning. Photo: Citizen reporter

When firefighters arrived, at 5:44 a.m., they saw fire in the basement area. Inside the basement, they found a gas line feeding the fire, so they shut off gas to the house.

The fire spread through the building, in part, due to the construction project, which had opened up some spots in the wall, Webb said. Fire also made its way upstairs through the chimney chase.

Smoke and flames went all the way up to the attic, Webb said.

There was a two-alarm fire in North Berkeley on Monday morning. Photo: Katherine Baylor

The fire initially was dispatched as a single-alarm assignment with four engines, a ladder truck, an ambulance and a battalion chief on scene. About half an hour into the battle to knock down the blaze, it was upgraded to a second-alarm fire bringing three more engines, a ladder truck and an ambulance to the block as it became clear it would take some time to put outthe flames.

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2-alarm fire in Berkeley causes $350,000 in damage