PF&R Responds To Two Significant Fires In Short Time Interval (Photo)
- 10/09/26
PF&R responds to two significant fires in short time interval
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to two significant fires in a 6-hour period in NE Portland. The first fire occurred at sunset and was confined to a single structure in an area of many buildings. The second significant fire response occurred at just past 1 AM on the next day, about 3 hours after the last crew picked up and cleared the first fire.
At just past 7 PM in the Hazelwood Neighborhood of NE Portland PF&R was dispatched to a fire in an apartment complex with heavy fire showing upon arrival. An active powerline bouncing alongside the structure with a vehicle leaking fuel actively on fire were challenges to the crew. Interior searches of the structure indicated all occupants were outside safely. A difficult access to the attic space led to the creative use of an infrequently used nozzle applicator to extinguish the body of fire in the attic spaces. There were no reports of any injuries in this fire. The cause of this fire is under investigation.
The second fire response was just past 1:30 AM with crews responding to a commercial semi-truck and trailer fabrication and repair structure in the Cully Neighborhood. Heavy fire showing from a large multi-story metal clad structure with a lot littered with semi cabs, trailers and other trucks led to a challenging approach for arriving crews.
The initial arriving company began using an offensive fire attack initially with access provided through a failed roll up garage door but quickly changed to a defensive operation pulling all firefighters from the interior of the structure. An additional access to the building was cut into an adjacent roll up door that allowed firefighters to apply water to the body of fire from these two openings. An aerial ladder truck was raining down water from above using the master stream on the tip of the extended ladder.
Water supply was crucial with the closest fire hydrants located blocks away. Multiple fire engines were used in pushing the required amount of water from the hydrants to the engines and trucks with their aerial master streams used to apply copious amounts of water from above to reduce the flames and body of fire. The closest fire hydrant was quite a distance which required multiple engines inline relay pumping to have enough water at the end of the nozzles to successfully extinguish the flames.
A battalion chief and engine company from the requested 2nd Alarm were redirected to a row of homes located to the west of the building to begin preparing for potential fire extension. Fortunately, the crews working on the fire were able to reduce the flames and extinguish the fire by saving over half the building and preventing any fire spread to the row of homes on the elevated hill just to the west of the fire building.
The PF&R Fire Investigations Unit beginning to perform their work to determine cause. No reported injuries.
PF&R would like to thank PPB and the dispatchers at BOEC for their assistance in each of these incidents. Additional thanks to the utility companies for their assistance as well with both electric and gas companies responding to each fire.
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PF&R Responds To Two Significant Fires In Short Time Interval (Photo)
- 10/09/26
PF&R responds to two significant fires in short time interval
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to two significant fires in a 6-hour period in NE Portland. The first fire occurred at sunset and was confined to a single structure in an area of many buildings. The second significant fire response occurred at just past 1 AM on the next day, about 3 hours after the last crew picked up and cleared the first fire.
At just past 7 PM in the Hazelwood Neighborhood of NE Portland PF&R was dispatched to a fire in an apartment complex with heavy fire showing upon arrival. An active powerline bouncing alongside the structure with a vehicle leaking fuel actively on fire were challenges to the crew. Interior searches of the structure indicated all occupants were outside safely. A difficult access to the attic space led to the creative use of an infrequently used nozzle applicator to extinguish the body of fire in the attic spaces. There were no reports of any injuries in this fire. The cause of this fire is under investigation.
The second fire response was just past 1:30 AM with crews responding to a commercial semi-truck and trailer fabrication and repair structure in the Cully Neighborhood. Heavy fire showing from a large multi-story metal clad structure with a lot littered with semi cabs, trailers and other trucks led to a challenging approach for arriving crews.
The initial arriving company began using an offensive fire attack initially with access provided through a failed roll up garage door but quickly changed to a defensive operation pulling all firefighters from the interior of the structure. An additional access to the building was cut into an adjacent roll up door that allowed firefighters to apply water to the body of fire from these two openings. An aerial ladder truck was raining down water from above using the master stream on the tip of the extended ladder.
Water supply was crucial with the closest fire hydrants located blocks away. Multiple fire engines were used in pushing the required amount of water from the hydrants to the engines and trucks with their aerial master streams used to apply copious amounts of water from above to reduce the flames and body of fire. The closest fire hydrant was quite a distance which required multiple engines inline relay pumping to have enough water at the end of the nozzles to successfully extinguish the flames.
A battalion chief and engine company from the requested 2nd Alarm were redirected to a row of homes located to the west of the building to begin preparing for potential fire extension. Fortunately, the crews working on the fire were able to reduce the flames and extinguish the fire by saving over half the building and preventing any fire spread to the row of homes on the elevated hill just to the west of the fire building.
The PF&R Fire Investigations Unit beginning to perform their work to determine cause. No reported injuries.
PF&R would like to thank PPB and the dispatchers at BOEC for their assistance in each of these incidents. Additional thanks to the utility companies for their assistance as well with both electric and gas companies responding to each fire.
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