A major fire early Christmas Eve morning heavily damaged the public storage facility at 398 Carlson Blvd., destroying portions of the building and collapsing multiple roof sections. One Richmond firefighter sustained minor injuries, officials said.
Richmond fire crews responded to the incident just before 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 24. Fire conditions worsened quickly, with flames spreading throughout the building and into the attic space, driven by high winds and rain.
As firefighters made initial entry, they encountered fire already burning in multiple units on both floors. The blaze rapidly spread, prompting officials to call a second and then third alarm to bring in additional resources from the El Cerrito Fire Department and the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
After about 45 minutes battling the blaze inside, crews were forced to attack the fire from the outside when large sections of the roof began to collapse.
All eight Richmond fire companies took part in the response. Firefighters remained at the scene for more than 60 hours, extinguishing deep-seated hotspots and conducting continuous fire-watch operations.
Officials say the entire property is being fenced to prevent unauthorized access. Carlson between Cutting Boulevard and Pullman Avenue will remained closed until the buildings structural integrity is assessed, fire officials said.
Customers impacted
Beyond the structural damage and road closures, the fire has also directly affected people who stored belongings at the Carlson Boulevard facility.
According to a GoFundMe post, one renter, Alexis, lost the contents of a 10-by-10 storage unit that held personal items belonging to her and her daughter.
The unit contained photographs, journals, keepsakes, baby items, and collectibles she had accumulated over nearly a decade. Alexis said many of those items were intended for resale through online marketplaces and served as a source of supplemental income during a period of underemployment.
She said the loss included irreplaceable personal items as well as inventory she relied on to help support her family.
