A fire that broke out at around 3:20 am Wednesday morning at Gate 13 Art Gallery at 813 Page Street in west Berkeley left several people displaced and two firefighters with minor injuries from a resident dog, according to media reports.
The working studio and residential art gallery is distinctive for having an airplane tail jutting out of its roof, and this momentarily confused the firefighters arriving on the scene, although they quickly realized it was an artwork.
The single-alarm fire was reported at 3:23 a.m., a fire dispatcher told the Mercury News. It was put out at 4:08 a.m. and caused moderate damage to one of the buildings on the property.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries from an anxious Chihuaha named Chuco, according to Berkeley Assistant Fire Chief Donna McCracken speaking to KTVU. They were treated and released.
McCracken described the structure as a “rambling, single-story property that has been tacked onto over the years.” There were two people in a cottage portion of the property and two others in a rear live-work space when the fire started. All four escaped thanks to the smoke alarm.
Information on the cause and damage estimate for the fire has not yet been released.
