Downtown Berkeley fire at Gaia building on Allston Way
As of publication time, BFD was still assessing whether any residents would be displaced.
A kitchen fire saw the Gaia apartment building in downtown Berkeley evacuated Tuesday afternoon, authorities report.
No one was injured and the fire was knocked down within eight minutes, the Berkeley Fire Department said.
BFD got multiple calls about smoke and flames at 2116 Allston Way at 3:40 p.m., said Deputy Fire Chief Keith May.
Crews arrived at 3:45 p.m. and found smoke on the third floor.
Firefighters ultimately located "heavy smoke and fire in the kitchen area" in the apartment of origin, May said. The fire was knocked down at 3:53 p.m.
Fire at downtown Berkeley building is under control. We're waiting for details from the Berkeley Fire Department. @arielnavaphoto was on the scene. pic.twitter.com/K6LMNThHHZ
— The Berkeley Scanner (@BerkeleyScanner) February 28, 2024
The building sprinkler system activated during the response and assisted in putting out the fire, May said.
As of publication time, BFD was still assessing whether any residents would be displaced.
According to a factsheet from builder Hudson McDonald, the 91-unit Gaia Building "was the first significant development project built in Berkeley in several decades and the first high-rise since the early 1970s."
This story will be updated if additional information becomes available.
