A fire was reported at the construction site of the UC Riverside SoCal OASIS building, which is located off campus on University Avenue, at 3:13 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Stephen Guarino, director of fire and life safety services for UC Office of the President, said emergency responders successfully extinguished the fire at 3:25 p.m. No injuries were reported. Damage is currently estimated between $250,000 and $400,000.
Local fire and police departments, along with the state fire marshal, were on scene as firefighters investigated the cause. The investigation is expected to take three to five weeks.
The fire was substantially contained to the roof and rooftop mechanical-equipment area.
SoCal OASIS (Opportunity to Advance Sustainability, Innovation, and Social Inclusion) is UC Riverside’s new off-campus clean technology research and innovation hub dedicated to sustainable regional economic development. Construction on the approximately 39,000-square-foot facility began in June 2025, with a planned completion date of spring 2027.
The impact on the construction schedule will be determined after a full evaluation of the damaged area and completing structural, roofing, mechanical, and electrical assessments.
August 19, 2026