Local
Hazelwood apartment and Cully truck-repair site hit by separate fires
Portland firefighters responded to two unrelated Northeast Portland fires within six hours, including an apartment fire involving a burning vehicle and downed power line. No injuries were reported, and investigators are working to determine what caused either blaze.
Two separate fires challenged Portland Fire & Rescue crews overnight Oct. 8-9, one at an apartment complex in Hazelwood and the other at a commercial truck fabrication and repair center in Cully. Fire officials said both incidents required significant resources, but no injuries were reported.
The first fire was reported shortly after 7 p.m. in Hazelwood. Firefighters found heavy flames at the apartment complex, along with an active power line near the building and a vehicle that was leaking fuel and on fire. After confirming no one was inside, crews fought the blaze through the attic.
At about 1:30 a.m., crews were dispatched to the Cully business. Fire officials said flames were coming from a large, multistory metal-clad building on a lot crowded with semi-truck cabs, trailers and other vehicles, making access difficult.
Firefighters first used a failed roll-up garage door to reach the fire and keep it from spreading. The closest hydrants were several blocks away, officials said. Crews requested a second alarm and extinguished the fire without injuries.
Investigations into both fires are ongoing. Officials have not identified a cause for either one.