Vacant Oakland commercial building “total loss” after fire

OAKLAND — A vacant East Oakland commercial building was declared a “total loss” after a fire Monday morning, authorities said.

The fire was reported about 1:46 a.m. Monday at the building in the 3500 block of Alameda Avenue next to the Oakland Estuary, authorities said.

It took about 30 firefighters until 2:25 a.m. to control the fire. No injuries were reported.

Oakland fire Battalion Chief Chris Foley said the fire started on the side of the building closest to the estuary but the exact cause is under investigation.

Investigators are focusing on the possibility it was started by squatters, authorities said.

Foley said the building was a “total loss” but a damage figure has not been determined.

The building used to house a technology company that specialized in business security but it was not immediately known when it became vacant.

Monday’s fire was the third since last Monday where vacant structures were heavily damaged by fires. Squatters are suspected in both of the previous fires, authorities said.

One was last Monday night at a vacant building in the 4200 block of East 12th Street near High Street and the other was Tuesday morning at a two-story Victorian home in the 800 block of Mead Avenue near San Pablo Avenue.