BREAKING: A huge fire has broken out on Durant, started on the roof of a church
‘I can feel the heat from a block away’
A fire has broken out on Durant behind the Unit 3 residents hall.
According to Tab reporter Patrick McBurnie, who’s currently on the scene: “I can feel the heat from a block away.
“The street is closed off between Durant and Telegraph and streets in a two block radius are shut.”
The 20-year-old English major continued, “People are being evacuated out of the unit towards Maximo Martinez. The smoke is thick enough to block out the sun in some places.
“Half the church is ruined, the other half still intact for now. The crowd is being removed and the police line extended past Durant.
“There’s no information from the police at this time”.
Berkeley student Madeleine Calvi said, ‘There’s a helicopter hovering by Fulton, which is like 5 blocks west of the church.
“A second is hovering over Parker and Ellsworth.”
Shaina Meier, a third year studying history was one of the first people to realize there was a fire:
“I got pretty close and I was one of the first people to spot the flames. I couldn’t really believe what I was seeing at first but there were bright red flames and billowing black smoke coming off the roof of the church, around the chimney. There were a few other people staring, I think we were all in shock, and I started telling them to call 911 (I didn’t have my phone on me). We actually had to go inside and tell the pastor, he didn’t even know there was a fire. He got everyone out of the building. Several people called and the fire trucks showed up soon after that.”
1:46pm update:
Patrick said: “Multiple fire agencies have responded, meaning it’s a multiple alarm fire…I saw Berkeley and Albany fire departments.
“Alameda county fire is here as well. I think that means it’s a four alarm fire”.
Madeleine is also on the scene. She said:
“There PD is mostly letting cars in the blockade out, but not in. They’re still hosing so the fire is definitely still going!”.
2:06 update:
Madeleine said: “The roof has collapsed”.
Jamie Ferrell, a third year English major, was in class when the fire started.
Jamie said: “I could smell the smoke all the way in my classroom in Wurster”. The smoke has now spread to the areas surrounding Durant and campus.
More updates to follow