The Berkeley Fire Department has responded to a fire on Center Street in downtown Berkeley that caused the evacuation of several buildings and is backing up traffic in the area.
The fire, reported at about 3:30 p.m., took place at 2124 Center St. between Shattuck Avenue and Oxford Street.
Donna McCracken, deputy fire chief, said the fire broke out in a wall at ground level in the commercial building.
Firefighters had been able to knock down the fire by putting water on it, but were having difficulty accessing its source due to the tight quarters.
Traffic was jammed up on Center between Shattuck and Oxford, McCracken said.
Firefighters remained on scene as of about 4:15 p.m. to make sure the fire had been extinguished.
The buildings containing Sliderbar and Oasis Grill had been evacuated, including 2114 Center St. and 2161 Shattuck Ave., which includes residential units.
McCracken said the cause of the fire remained under investigation.
Sliderbar closed in May.
Berkeleyside was unable to reach business owners at that time but a sign posted on the restaurant’s window read: “Sliderbar has permanently closed the doors for business. While we will always appreciate your patronage, the employees of Sliderbar will miss all of you. Thank you for continued patronage. Best of Luck [sic] to you all!”
Sliderbar opened in August 2013 in the former location of the Green Earth Café.
Berkeleyside will update this story if additional information becomes available.
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