OAKLAND — A large plume of black smoke could be seen Saturday morning when part of a West Oakland homeless encampment burned in a fire.

The fire began around 8:19 a.m. on the 2600 block of Wood Street at the homeless camp, which was several blocks long, fire officials said. The fire may have started after someone tried to cook in a nearby disabled van, which was gutted in the blaze, authorities said.

A dark cloud of smoke, and flames, could be seen from various points of the city, including from the MacArthur maze and Interstates 880 and 80. The fire was under control before 9 a.m.

There were no reports of injuries.

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