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Oakland Mourns Victims, Seeks Answers in Apartment Fire That Killed 4

Published

9 years ago

March 30, 2017

Oaklanders are in mourning and seeking answers in the wake of a fire that destroyed a three-story transitional housing building at 2551 San Pablo Ave. in West Oakland, where four people died Monday, leaving 80 homeless, including many children.

Authorities as of mid-week had identified two victims, Edwarn Anderson, 64, and Cassandra Robertson, 50. Aid workers seeking help for the displaced residents. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Anderson, known as the deacon, was considered by many of the residents to be a very helpful man who went out of his way to aid people in the building, unplugging backed-up toilets, painting the walls or dealing with other problems.

Cassandra Robertson

According to reports, Robertson moved to the Bay Area from New Orleans at age 19, She returned to Louisiana about four years ago, but recently came back to the Bay Area.

Many of those displaced by the fire lost all their possessions and are staying in a shelter. In an outpouring of support, local residents are donating clothes and other items to aid survivors of the fire.

According to Pastor Debra Avery of the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, as of Wednesday evening, donations are requested for new and barely used adult clothes. The need at the shelter now is especially for children’s school clothing (all sizes) and school supplies, she said.

Oakland is a generous and supportive community that I know will rally around these residents – many of whom are among the most vulnerable in our community. Now more than ever they need our assistance,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.

Donations should be delivered to two locations: from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Brothers Barbershop at 1498-7th St.: and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Word Assembly Church, 767 Pine St.
Questions continue to be raised about what the city could have been done to prevent the fire.

In an interview with the Associated Press this week, Mayor Schaaf said the city has improved its enforcement efforts involving dangerous buildings following the Ghostship warehouse fire in which 36 people died in December 2016.

In the wake the warehouse fire, she had pledged to improve internal communications between city departments after learning that city officials and agencies were told of a safety problem at the warehouse but it was not inspected.

Schaaf said firefighters answering a call in February at San Pablo residence had reported possible problems, prompting an inspection last Friday that found deficient sprinklers, alarms and smoke detectors.

She said city officials lacked the authority to immediately shutter the apartments because they are required to give the owner time to fix the problems, according to AP.

On Feb. 23, the city sent a notice of violation to the owner of the building after someone complained about the building, saying there was a “large amount of trash and debris, building materials, (and) furniture in back of property.”

But the building was not inspected until last Friday, March 24.

According to the East Bay Times, the inspector found 11 severe fire hazards, including extension cords being used instead of wall outlets. His report said that fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and marked exits must be maintained and provided throughout the building, and smoke detectors in each unit.

The inspector also demanded immediate service and certification of the fire alarm system and fire sprinkler system, but he didn’t order the residential building, evacuated and closed.

He did not “order the building owner to place a person on ‘fire watch’ to patrol the structure until repairs were made, as state law allows, the East Bay Times said.

The fire took place three days later.

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

22 hours ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

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Oakland Post: Week of August 26 – September 1, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of August 26 – September 1, 2026

Published

23 hours ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

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EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ