Fatal Oakland fire in abandoned home near Mills College

OAKLAND, Calif. - One person is dead after an early morning Monday house fire in an abandoned home near Mills College, firefighters said.

Firefighters rushed to the two-story home on Pierson Street in the Maxwell Park neighborhood shortly before 5:30 a.m. 

Battalion Chief Chris Landry said crews had a hard time getting inside the house because of the condition of the building.

"This was a condemned building and so some of the challenges with the building was there was some structural integrity issues," Landry said. "A partial stairway collapse.

The home was supposed to be empty but officials say it was apparent someone had been living inside.

That person has not been identified.

Firefighters were successful keeping the flames from spreading. They were concerned because there are other homes very near and there is a lot of dry grass in that neighborhood.