Hazelwood garage fire melts siding off nearby apartment building

Find out why this outer East Portland blaze turned into a ‘Second-Alarm’ incident, as firefighters worked to keep the fire from spreading …

Arriving firefighters find thick smoke and fire boiling out of a boarded-up garage, just a few feet from a Hazelwood apartment building.

By David F. Ashton

As smoke and fire arose from a large detached garage behind boarded-up houses, some concerned residents in the Gateway Plazaza Apartments [yes, that’s how it’s spelled on the front of the building] at 9910 NE Glisan Street began to call the 9-1-1 Center on Wednesday, October 9, at about 4:20 p.m.

Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R), dispatched firefighters to the blaze three minutes later, who reported back, as they approached, that they were seeing – from blocks away – a thick column of dark smoke rising from the area.

Making their way past boarded-up houses on the property, fire crews continue fighting the fire that quickly burned the garage to its frame.

“The data from the dispatch center sent to the computers of the responding apparatus was simply ‘someone seeing something on fire’, and the address was determined to be the property at 415 NE 100th Avenue,” PF&R Public Information Officer Rick Graves told reporters. “The garage, or outbuilding, on the lot was completely engulfed in fire – which was impinging upon a nearby three-story apartment complex.”

At 4:31 p.m. four Engine Company crews clicked their “On-Scene” buttons simultaneously, as they pulled up to the blaze. But, to fight the fire, crews first had to cut through the steel cyclone fencing that surrounded the lot.

Even though the crews quickly get the garage fire under control, the heat has already melted vinyl siding off of the apartment building.

With flames threatening the apartment building a mere 20 feet away, the PF&R Battalion Chief called for a “Second Alarm” to be certain there were enough firefighters on hand to evacuate the apartment building, and extinguish any fire that might extend to that building.

Another impediment arises
Further complicating this firefight, the nearest hydrant was on the north side of NE Glisan Street at 100th Avenue. “Crews established a water supply by stretching the hose lines across NE Glisan Street – blocking peak rush hour traffic, and forcing vehicles to turn around or reroute themselves a few blocks,” Graves said.

Firefighters use hand tools to make sure all embers have been snuffed out, preventing the fire from rekindling.

“The large flames from the burning structure were creating significant heat that was extending in all directions,” reported Graves. “The nearby apartment complex had its vinyl siding melt off two large areas.”

Once water was flowing in their hoses, firefighters were able to quickly reduce and extinguish the fire.

While some crew members evaluated the apartment complex, others checked the attic space for any possible fire.

Here’s a clear look at the vinyl siding that’s melted on the apartment building.

“There was no internal damage to any occupancies, and no one from the apartment complex will be displaced,” Graves said.

A fire investigator arrived in the aftermath, to start working on determining a cause.

All images courtesy of Portland Fire & Rescue

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