About 30 firefighters are still on the scene of a Rockridge bookstore that became engulfed in flames early Tuesday morning, but the Oakland Fire Department said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The fire was reported around 5:25 a.m. at East Bay Booksellers, located at 5433 College Ave. In a video posted to the social media platform X, Oakland Fire Chief Damon Covington said crews discovered heavy smoke and flames upon arrival. About 60 firefighters initially responded to the three-alarm blaze.
Crews on scene of a 3 Alarm fire in the 5400 block of College Ave. Fire started at 525am inside a bookstore. OFD still has approx 60 firefighters on scene. Currently only one exposure building needed to be evacuated, with 5 tenants temporarily displaced. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/WH9ixKNozs
— Oakland Fire Department (CA) (@OaklandFireCA) July 30, 2024
Five tenants in the adjacent apartment building were displaced as the fire spread, and the businesses on the first floor of that building are currently without power, according to Oakland Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hunt.
The building on the other side of the bookstore, home to the cocktail bar George & Walt’s, was not damaged by the fire, Hunt added. Investigators hope to use surrounding surveillance footage to determine where the fire began, which may point to a potential cause.
Traffic is still closed on College Avenue between Manila and Lawton avenues as fire crews put out remaining hot spots.