Multiple residents were injured and more were rescued Friday in a four-alarm fire at a senior living facility in Oakland, according to Oakland Fire Department officials.
The fire displaced more than 80 residents, officials said. It was sparked by an electrical problem and broke out around 6:15 a.m. on the fifth floor of Grand Lake Gardens on Santa Clara Avenue, firefighters said. It was contained a little less than an hour later.
Three residents and a firefighter were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Several others were treated on scene.
At least nine people were rescued from hallways, stairwells and balconies, fire officials said.
Gayle Esssex was asleep when the fire started tearing through the fifth floor of the facility.
"They have a big alarm that goes on and a strobe light and lots of loud announcements, 'shelter in place, we have a fire on the fifth floor,'" she said.
She was able to quickly gather some belongings before evacuating.
"My eyes were burning by the time I left my apartment," Lois Blumsack said.
Elizabeth Porter only managed to grab a handful of essential items before she had to leave.
"The firemen came around and knocked on our doors and told us to get out, told us they would help us get out," she said. "Firemen helped me walk down the stairs."
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. >Sign up for NBC Bay Areaās Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Firefighters said the flames started from a power strip and spread to a couch inside a fifth-floor apartment.
A resident told fire officials they saw sparks from the strip and they ignited a nearby blanket. That apartment was fully engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived, officials said.
Fire officials added that the building was last inspected just a week ago on Oct. 7.
The owner of the Grand Lake Gardens community provided the following statement on Friday:
"We can confirm that a fire broke out this morning at our Grand Lake Gardens community in Oakland. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire broke out at approximately 6 a.m., and was brought under control at 7:30 a.m. by the Oakland fire department. We are grateful for the swift response from the fire department.
No residents were injured, but several people were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Residents have been transported to our Piedmont Gardens community in Oakland, and we are working on housing plans for this evening. We do not know the exact length of displacement at this time. The cause of the fire is under investigation."
