Oakland firefighters overwhelmed by holiday blazes, 64 fires reported

CBS News

a day ago

Oakland firefighters pushed to limits on Fourth of July by responding to dozens of fires
Oakland firefighters pushed to limits on Fourth of July by responding to dozens of fires
Oakland firefighters pushed to limits on Fourth of July by responding to dozens of fires
Illegal fireworks caused major disruption in Oakland on the Fourth of July, straining emergency responders and endangering residents.
The Oakland Fire Department, which typically responds to around 15 fires a day, was called to 64 separate blazes on Friday — more than four times the usual volume.
One of those fires severely damaged a two-bedroom apartment at the corner of Holly Street and 78th Avenue, killing two dogs and a cat.
"One of the 'bottle rockets,' I believe, flew under [our garage] and somehow lit everything on fire," said Cristian Floriano, whose family lost their home in the fire.
Spent fireworks were found strewn in the street near the apartment. Cristian's parents were able to escape the rapidly spreading flames, but by the time he and his sister, Kimberly, returned home, the apartment was engulfed in fire. Their pets had already perished.
"Just rage, that's really it," Cristian said, describing his emotions.
"It feels like my heart keeps breaking every second, the more and more I realize what's actually happening," added Kimberly.
In a separate incident nearby, a seven-year-old girl, Seantera Fields, was hit by a firework while standing near her home. Fortunately, her injuries were not severe.
"Scared," she said simply.
Asked if she was doing okay, Seantera nodded and replied, "Yes."
Her father, Sean Fields, said the experience was frightening. "Luckily, she didn't get hit in the face. She just got hit in the leg. And it just shocked her."
Fire investigators are still working to determine how many of the 64 fires were directly caused by illegal fireworks.
Around 5 p.m. on Friday, more than 75 firefighters were deployed to battle a massive four-alarm warehouse fire at the corner of East 8th Street and 53rd Avenue. Both police and fire officials are now investigating whether the site was being used as an illegal marijuana grow operation. Although hot spots flared up again on Saturday, firefighters were able to contain them quickly.
Oakland Fire Department Battalion Chief Porya Jeddi emphasized how critical staffing and station availability are during high-demand emergencies.
"This is why it's so important to have our firehouses open, to have the full staffing on the rigs. We need the members. We need the firehouses. We're trying to do a good job," said Jeddi.
Elsewhere in the East Bay, in the hills outside Rodeo on Franklin Canyon Road, young people were seen spinning donuts and lighting fireworks near Highway 4. One of the fireworks appeared to spark a brush fire close to the freeway. Despite the fire danger, the drivers lingered at the scene until police eventually dispersed them.
Back in Oakland, the Floriano family now faces a difficult road ahead. Without renters' insurance, they lost all of their possessions in the fire — but the loss of their pets is what they grieve most.
"My mind was just trying to save my pets, but couldn't," Cristian said quietly.
"It was a white cat. I've had her for almost five years and her birthday was coming up next week. And it's just sad because she's dead now," Kimberly added.
Their landlord has temporarily moved the Floriano family to a vacant unit.
According to the Oakland Fire Department, there were some minor injuries across all incidents that day, but no major injuries have been reported. Fire officials credited the one-day closure of Grizzly Peak Boulevard on July 4th for helping to prevent additional fires in the Oakland and Berkeley Hills.
The cause of many fires remains under investigation, and officials continue to urge residents to report illegal fireworks and firework-related activity.