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Portland Fire and Rescue, along with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVFR), responded to a reported home explosion in the hills of northwest Portland this morning. Crews from Portland Fire Station 27 and TVFR Station 60 arrived to NW Burkhardt Court to find one house fully engulfed in flames with fire spreading to a neighboring home. Crews immediately began applying water to the fire and were successful in containing the fire to the two homes. Due to the amount of fire and the involvement of multiple homes a second alarm was requested which brought additional fire resources to the scene. Ladder trucks were used to spray large amounts of water from an elevated position.
This call highlighted the importance of training with neighboring agencies. Portland Fire Station 27 and TVFR Station 60 regularly meet to train and discuss strategies for fighting fires in this area. Northwest Portland presents certain challenges to responders including tight winding roads, steep hills and larger homes that are often on hillsides.
During the initial fire attack crews did not locate any fire victims in either home and there were no injuries to firefighters on scene. Fire investigators responded to the scene and are working to determine the cause of the fire. NW Natural also responded to the scene and is working to ensure that all gas service in the area is secure.