VIDEO: Oakland firefighters on Wednesday raced to put out flames in Chinatown, a densely populated block of stores and restaurants. Interim Fire Chief Melinda Drayton said the fire started in a Dumpster behind 714 and 718 Webster Street and raced through the open spaces. The fire broke about 8:20 a.m., where businesses including Cathay Bank and the Salvation Army are nearby. At 9:15 a.m., firefighters upgraded the fire from three alarms to five. Photos showed smoke and flames billowing from the rooftops above several restaurants as well. Drayton said firefighters will actively fight the blaze it until it is no longer tenable to be inside or on the roof.