A fire broke out July 12 at a vacant
barracks around the 1000 block of West Midway Ave. at the former Alameda
Naval Air Station is under investigation as suspicious, a fire
department official said. (Google photo)
ALAMEDA, California --
Alameda firefighters are treating as suspicious a fire that broke out Sunday at a vacant barracks at the former Alameda Naval Air Station.
No one was injured during the fire in the 1000 block of West Midway Avenue, where a passer-by reported dark smoke coming from a window at 6:08 p.m., Alameda fire Capt. Jim Colburn said.
Firefighters declared the blaze, which was on the second floor of the two-story building, extinguished about 45 minutes later.
The damage was mostly to one room, its contents and hallway, Colburn said.
Crews found it difficult to contain the fire because of locked doors throughout the building.
"It took us a while for us to reach the source of the fire," Colburn said.
Three engines, two ladder trucks, an ambulance and a duty chief initially responded. All on-duty firefighters were later dispatched because of the large size of the building, which has not been used as a military barracks since the U.S. Navy base closed in 1997. The former base is now called Alameda Point.
There was evidence of squatters having occupied the building.
Alameda police and an Alameda fire investigator are still investigating the cause of the fire, which Colburn said is currently considered suspicious.
Along with Alameda firefighters, Alameda police, Pacific Gas & Electric and Alameda Municipal Power responded to the scene. The Oakland Fire Department also covered Alameda fire stations while crews worked to knock down the fire.
Alameda firefighters are treating as suspicious a fire that broke out Sunday at a vacant barracks at the former Alameda Naval Air Station.
No one was injured during the fire in the 1000 block of West Midway Avenue, where a passer-by reported dark smoke coming from a window at 6:08 p.m., Alameda fire Capt. Jim Colburn said.
Firefighters declared the blaze, which was on the second floor of the two-story building, extinguished about 45 minutes later.
The damage was mostly to one room, its contents and hallway, Colburn said.
Crews found it difficult to contain the fire because of locked doors throughout the building.
"It took us a while for us to reach the source of the fire," Colburn said.
Three engines, two ladder trucks, an ambulance and a duty chief initially responded. All on-duty firefighters were later dispatched because of the large size of the building, which has not been used as a military barracks since the U.S. Navy base closed in 1997. The former base is now called Alameda Point.
There was evidence of squatters having occupied the building.
Alameda police and an Alameda fire investigator are still investigating the cause of the fire, which Colburn said is currently considered suspicious.
Along with Alameda firefighters, Alameda police, Pacific Gas & Electric and Alameda Municipal Power responded to the scene. The Oakland Fire Department also covered Alameda fire stations while crews worked to knock down the fire.