Berkeley firefighters work to control the blaze at 1716 Ward St. on the night of Wednesday August 28. Photo: Gil Dong

Berkeley firefighters rescued the unconscious occupant of a duplex apartment at 1716 Ward St. in Berkeley on Wednesday after a fire broke out at the home at around 8 p.m.

The person was treated immediately at the scene and taken to Alta Bates hospital, according to Berkeley Fire Chief Gil Dong.

The fire was called in by multiple people at, and after, 8:14 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, said Dong. When firefighters arrived at the scene, which is 1½ blocks west of Martin Luther King Jr. Way, they saw heavy black smoke coming from the rear of the property and were told that someone was trapped inside.

A second alarm was requested due to the amount of fire, and additional support was sent to help with the rescue and fire suppression.

“The first fire crew did a remarkable job in getting the occupant out quickly,” said Dong. He said there was reportedly also a flashover in one of the rooms while firefighters were conducting the rescue. No firefighters were injured during the incident.

Screen Shot 2013-08-29 at 6.49.10 PM
The duplex at 1716 Ward St. from which a person was rescued during a fire on Aug. 28. Photo: Google Images

Five people who live next door to the unit that caught fire have been displaced while crews determine whether electric systems in their homes are safe. The American Red Cross has provided temporary shelter and support.

The blaze was controlled by 8:48 p.m. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The Berkeley Fire Department has not yet interviewed either the occupant or witnesses.

The estimated damage to the property is valued at $100,000, with $15,000 in content damages.

Berkeleyside publishes many articles every day. To see all our stories in chronological order, and read ones you may have missed, check out our All the News grid.

"*" indicates required fields

See an error that needs correcting? Have a tip, question or suggestion? Drop us a line.
Hidden

Tracey Taylor is co-founder of Berkeleyside and co-founder and editorial director of Cityside, the nonprofit parent to Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. Before launching Berkeleyside, Tracey wrote for...