A person is dead after house fire in northwest Berkeley

One person is dead, one is in critical condition and two others were hospitalized after a fire broke out early Monday morning in a northwest Berkeley home, according to the Berkeley Fire Department.

A structure fire was reported Monday at 4:35 a.m. in the 1000 block of Cedar Street, according to BFD Deputy Chief Keith May. Four people were in the home and were all transported to a hospital in varying conditions, he said. Two arrived in critical condition, with one person later dying from their injuries. A family pet also died in the fire. 

May said the first fire engine arrived at the scene at 4:38 a.m. and “immediately went into rescue mode” before more crews arrived to tackle the blaze. Smoke and fire were issuing from the one-story home when firefighters arrived.

Firefighters used a tactic called “vent, enter, search,” in which firefighters break and enter through an exterior window. The tactic is used when there are “anticipated delays with the normal ways that we perform rescues,” May wrote in an email.

The fire was out Monday morning but crews remained on the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, May said.