A busy night and early morning of intentionally set arson fires began just before midnight on Wednesday, January 15th:

• At 11:30 pm, Engine 12 was requested by Portland Police Bureau officers to respond to a fire call where they found a smoking object inside a business at NE 102nd and Sandy Blvd. Firefighters found no active fire but did assist with removing smoke from the structure. Fire investigators were called to the scene and determined that a burglary and arson fire had occurred. This location is across the parking lot from a previous burglary and arson fire that occurred on January 9, 2020. No one was injured in either fires.
• Construction crews had set up two storage containers and two portable toilets for a residential construction project at N Maryland Ave. and N Holman St. Investigators believe someone set the two toilets on fire, but they have no determination on motive or potential suspects. Both toilets, the two storage containers and its contents were heavily damaged. The fire was reported to Bureau of Emergency Communication (BOEC) 911 dispatchers at approximately 1:30 am. PF&R fire investigators are calling this fire arson.
• At 2:35 am, firefighters responded to a house fire at NE 140th and Oregon Ct. where they found a small fire in the basement of a home. The fire was put out quickly and no one was injured. Fire damage to the home was minimal; smoke and water damage assessments have not been determined at this time.  Fire investigators examined evidence at the scene, took witness testimony from all of the occupants of the home and concluded that the cause of this fire was suspicious (not arson).
• The fourth in the string of incidents happened at 3:45 am when downtown Portland firefighters were dispatched to a “high-rise fire” at the US Bank Tower on SW 5th and Oak St. Firefighters found one stairwell was filled with smoke and eventually located and extinguished some combustible material on the sixth floor. Fire Investigators are not releasing information regarding what material was on fire, but they have determined that it was intentionally set and are calling this fire arson.  

*Fires in high-rise buildings are especially hazardous for occupants and firefighters due to the difficulty traveling in (firefighters) or out (occupants), the limited number of stairwells, the number of potential occupants inside, and the potential size of fire spread to name just a few.

FIRE INVESTIGATORS WOULD LIKE ANYONE WITH INFORMATION REGARDING ANY OF THE ABOVE FIRES TO CALL 503-823-INFO (4636). IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THESE TYPES OF FIRES ARE STOPPED BEFORE ANY OF OUR FELLOW PORTLAND RESIDENTS ARE HARMED.