ATF agents arrive in Oakland to investigate fire at construction site

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland residents are facing their new reality Wednesday of living next to a construction site that is also now a fire scene. As they sort through their emotions, investigators are descending on the site that went up in flames Tuesday at 2 a.m.

ATF agents from Sacramento to Chicago started arriving Wednesday as part of the federal agency's national response team. They are here to help Oakland investigators figure out what or who started this massive fire that did significant damage to a development of town homes that was under construction.

Investigators started the morning with a 9 a.m. meeting at the federal building downtown.

As they do their work, residents who live near the construction site at West Grand and Filbert say they will now be on the lookout. They are worried this could happen again.

"I'll be more alert, kinda start looking around, walk out at night see what's going on," said Larry Johnson, who lives on Myrtle Street right across from the fire scene.

The builder promises he will continue with this project.

Neighbors of this building we talked to Wednesday morning are glad to hear he won't be giving up.

"I really hope he can fix it it would be nice for the community. There's not a lot of things for people everything get built they get burn down and it's not fair to Oakland," said resident Danielle Wisdom.

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