2 Oakland fire victims: cordial caretaker, proud mom

2 Oakland fire victims: cordial caretaker, proud mom

Inside the large residential building on San Pablo Avenue in West Oakland, Edwarn Anderson was known as the deacon.

Anderson, 64, was one of the four people who died Monday morning when a fire raged through the three-story transitional-housing building at 2551 San Pablo Ave. His body was found inside in the charred rubble on Monday afternoon.

“He was the nice guy around the building,” said Karen Redus, 51, who lived on the second floor of the building, where Anderson also lived.

Residents who sought emergency shelter Tuesday at the West Oakland Youth Center said Anderson worked for Urojas Community Services, a nonprofit that leased the building to provide housing for families and individuals, many of whom were recently homeless.

The living conditions were “deplorable,” with rats and mice, Redus said, but Anderson did what he could.

Asia Wade, 32, lived across the hall from Robertson on the third floor and used to see her walking her Yorkshire terrier in the mornings.

The dog was named Brees because Robertson loved Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, according to her cousin Michele Firven.

Robertson moved to the Bay Area from New Orleans at age 19, Firven said.

Nicknamed Coo by friends and family, Robertson was the mother of two daughters, ages 22 and 17, and was staying in the Bay Area until her younger daughter, McKenzie, graduated from high school.

For Mardi Gras this year, she and her husband, Leandre Johnson, took a trip back to New Orleans — “my town,” she called it on Facebook.