Woman dies in Berkeley duplex fire
BERKELEY — A 74-year-old woman died Wednesday afternoon in a fire at her duplex near Strawberry Creek Park.
Authorities were trying to confirm her identity and notify relatives before releasing her name.
The fire erupted about 3:53 p.m. Wednesday at a single-story duplex in the 1300 block of Poe Street.
Officials said the first crew of firefighters arrived to find flames and smoke showing from three sides of the structure. Crews were also alerted there was a possible victim inside the house.
Firefighters made a forcible entry and found a female body inside. She was taken outside of the home and attended to by paramedics but was declared deceased at the scene, officials said.
The other residence sustained mostly smoke damage and the resident was uninjured. That resident was to stay with a friend, officials said.
No firefighters were injured.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.