Overview

• The East Bay Media Center, a community hub since 1980, was completely destroyed in a predawn fire on Monday in downtown Berkeley.
• Firefighters faced significant challenges, including a heavy fire load and a roof collapse, before containing the blaze by early morning.
• Nearby apartment buildings housing students were evacuated as a precaution, but no injuries were reported.
• The fire consumed archival materials, technical equipment, and decades of community history, leaving the building red-tagged and uninhabitable.
• The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the recent passing of the center's owner adds uncertainty to its future.