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Fire at Berkeley Duplex Causes $700,000 Damage
A two-alarm fire at a two-story duplex in Berkeley this afternoon caused an estimated $700,000 in damage and displaced seven residents, according to Berkeley Deputy Fire Chief Gil Dong.
However, Dong said no one was injured in the blaze, which was reported at 2:27 p.m. at 3107 Sacramento St. and was controlled at 3:18 p.m.
He said it appears that the fire was accidental and was caused by the improper disposal of smoking materials.
The blaze caused $600,000 in damage to the building's structure and another $100,000 in damage to its contents, Dong said.
The fire threatened a separate structure in the rear of the property but it was controlled before it reached that structure, according to Dong.
The displaced residents will receive housing assistance from the American Red Cross, he said.
