Major fire engulfs East Oakland warehouse near Coliseum

OAKLAND — A major fire broke out in East Oakland near the Coliseum on Friday at a commercial warehouse near homes.

The four-alarm fire that broke out at 4:55 p.m. could be seen from miles away and was not immediately contained. A total of 75 firefighters were battling the blaze as of 5:20 p.m., said Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt.

The warehouse is located on East 8th Street, between 52nd Avenue and 53rd Avenue, near San Leandro Street, about a mile from the Coliseum.

The fire comes on a day when the Oakland Fire Department is already on high-alert, especially in the Oakland Hills over fears that fireworks will spark blazes.

Nearby resident, Sonya Pelaez, said she watched the dark smoke drift over the elevated BART tracks from her home on San Leandro Street. She described it as “the usual armageddon that goes on in East Oakland.”

“Just another day in paradise in an overlooked neighborhood,” Pelaez said.