Kitchen fire chars Hazelwood home

Do-it-yourself firefighting wasn’t enough to keep this home from suffering major damage. Here are the details …

Portland Fire & Rescue crews prepare to pull large fire hoses, in case the smaller water line isn’t sufficient to snuff out the fire in this house.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
A cooking fire in a kitchen got out of hand on September 10, just before 4:00 p.m., in a Hazelwood neighborhood house on SE Ankeny Street, just west of SE 122^nd Avenue.

“Even though I live nearby, firefighters had already gotten a quick knock-down of the fire by the time I arrived,” said Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) photographer and retired firefighter Dick Harris. “One shot with a 1-3/4” line did it.”

Firefighters check the roof for fire extensions. Dick Harris, PF&R photo

PF&R Battalion Chief Chris Babcock gave us the official word at the scene: “It looks like here we have a cooking fire, in the kitchen of a single-family, one-story home.”

The residents had pulled a garden hose from next door, Babcock said, and tried to put out the fire themselves. “Then the truck and engine arrived from Station 7. Some firefighters extinguished the fire, other crew members made sure everyone was out of the house and accounted for.”

Setting up specialized infrared equipment, firefighters get ready to scan the interior for hidden fire. Dick Harris, PF&R photo

Two of the house’s occupants were transported for medical care, with non-life-threatening injuries, Babcock stated.

Reflecting on the incident, Babcock added, “The best thing people can do, when faced with a fire, is to call 9-1-1 and make sure everyone is out of the house. Don’t risk death or injury trying to fight a fire yourself.”

Inside and out, firefighters start to stow their gear after extinguishing the fire.

Damages for structure and contents are estimated at $30,000, according to PF&R spokesman Paul Corah. The American Red Cross helped displaced residents find temporary shelter.

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