PHOTOS: Portland Fire responds to heavy pallet fire downing power lines, threatening buildings

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Firefighters are responding to a heavy pallet fire that has downed multiple power lines and is threatening a number of buildings near the Whitaker Ponds Natural Area in Northeast Portland.

According to a Portland Fire and Rescue post on X at 7:35 p.m., fire crews responded to “a large stack of pallets” on fire, with the flames extending to a tree and a home Thursday night.

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Firefighters said they were taking defensive measures to ensure the flames did not ignite a large fuel storage tank on site.

Within 30 minutes, the fire was escalated to a second-alarm fire and then a third-alarm fire, officials said.

“Many buildings are being threatened by heavy fire. Multiple live power lines down,” a follow-up post said.

By 8:21 p.m., PF&R said that Port of Portland fire crews were on the scene to assist, if needed, after the fire extended into “one of the of the metal clad buildings,” with one structure collapsing.

“The fire started at the exterior then extended to the main structure that’s a combined home and business,” Rick Graves, a PF&R spokesperson, told KOIN 6 News. “That home and business is at a structural collapse. We did a primary search — no one was inside. We had not an opportunity to do a secondary search. It’s going to be some quite a while until we gain safe access.”

No injuries were reported. Graves said the fire did not reach nearby businesses. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Crews were also reportedly working with a “limited water supply.” The Portland Water Bureau was also assisting in the effort. With the downed power lines, finite amount of water and need to protect “valuable equipment,” fire crews were working to manage “competing priorities,” officials said.

By 8:37 p.m., PF&R said the incident was “beginning to stabilize” and that they were starting rehabilitation rounds for the firefighters.

KOIN 6 News spoke to a neighbor who said he tried to put it out with a hose himself.

“I came outside, I seen smoke and noticed it was black. Looked over the fence and seen there was fire,” said Christian LeFebren, a witness who works next door to where the fire happened. “I yelled to my buddy to call 9-11 then I grabbed a hose and tried to spray down their house.”

This is a developing story. KOIN 6 News will update this article if more information becomes available.

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