For the second time this year, flames broke out at 670 Ninth St. in downtown Oakland yesterday, charring the roof of a low-slung commercial building and rattling nearby businesses that are still watching the clock on their own safety.
Fire crews moved fast and kept the situation from turning into a bigger disaster. The Oakland Fire Department received a 911 call at 12:24 AM and arrived within three minutes. Firefighters found an active blaze burning on the roof of the single-story commercial structure, contained it in about 10 minutes, and declared the incident under control at 12:39 AM, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The Chronicle reports that there were no injuries or evacuations, and that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The property most recently housed LSW Cut and Sew, a garment-making contractor listed at that address. Local business listings for LSW Cutting & Sewing Service show the 670 Ninth St. location and the shop’s contact details, suggesting the facility has operated there for years, per MapQuest.
Who Owns The Building
Public records and reporting indicate the parcel is held by A&L Chan LLC, registered to Afonso and Lydia Chan of Oakland, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. It was not immediately clear whether the owner or a representative could be reached for comment in the hours after the fire.
Repeated Blazes Raise Safety Questions
This is the second significant blaze at 670 Ninth St. this year. An April fire left the building’s interior a near total loss and required a larger response from city crews. Repeated incidents at a single property can slow recovery for neighboring businesses and often trigger additional inspections by city building or fire officials. Investigators have not yet said what caused either blaze…