Berkeley Animal Shelter temporarily closed after 'suspicious' overnight fire, officials say

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- The Berkeley Animal Shelter is temporarily closed after a fire broke out late Saturday night, causing smoke damage inside the building.

Officials say the fire is considered "suspicious," but no animals were injured.

More than 30 cats and dogs housed at the shelter were unharmed, thanks in part to safety features that prevented the fire from spreading.

According to Peter Radu, the City of Berkeley's Neighborhood Services manager, the call came in around 10:40 p.m.

"My mind went straight to, 'This could be a horrible tragedy,'" Radu said.

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The fire started on the first floor of the facility, primarily affecting the lobby area where donated items, such as blankets, towels and pet supplies are stored.

One pet carrier was destroyed, and smoke damage spread through parts of the building. Despite the fire's proximity to animal housing areas, built-in safety systems helped prevent injuries.

"We were nervous because it's close to where our cat kennels are, but the fire doors did their job," Radu said. "There was no harm to the cats or any of the animals."

The Berkeley Fire Department reported that ceiling sprinklers activated automatically, helping contain the flames before firefighters arrived. Officials believe those sprinklers played a key role in protecting the 37 animals housed upstairs.

The incident has shaken members of the community, including local resident Grace Doran, who adopted her own dog from the shelter.

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"I'm just happy the animals are OK," Doran said while dropping off donated supplies. "We actually got our dog through the shelter, so we're really grateful to them."

Doran also expressed hope that the fire was not set intentionally.

"I really, really hope it wasn't intentional, (and) that it was an accident," she said.

Fire investigators are now working to determine the exact cause of the blaze, which they have labeled as "suspicious."

The shelter will remain closed to the public while crews clean up smoke damage and make repairs. Officials say it could reopen as soon as midweek.

Radu said the situation could have been far worse.

"This could have been a serious tragedy, so we're grateful that didn't happen," he said.

The Berkeley Animal Shelter relies heavily on donations from the community. Those interested in helping can visit Friendsofbacs.org for more information. .