Large North Portland warehouse fire prompts massive response
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Crews are still on scene of a four-alarm fire at a North Portland warehouse sent flames and smoke shooting into the sky early Wednesday morning.
According to Portland Fire and Rescue, crews responded to the fire at Royce’s Prop Shop at North Albina Avenue and North Killingsworth Street just after 6:30 a.m. When they arrived, they found a large smoke column pouring from a one-story concrete building.
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Clare Pledl, a neighbor who lives across the street told KOIN 6 News the fire got so hot that it broke their windows.
“It was super scary, super freaky,” Pledl said.
Portland Fire said the fire was intense enough to force them to switch their tactics, withdrawing the firefighters from inside the building to continue battling the flames from outside.
“Had an interior fire attack going for a while, but the growth of the fire overhead in the materials in the ceiling, along with the storage, was such that we requested all firefighters to withdraw. That means take your tools and your bodies out of the structure,” PF&R spokesperson Rick Graves said.
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The owner of Royce’s Prop Shop, Royce Mason, said he has worked out of this building for 25 years, but that they are going to keep going along with his 20 employees who will keep their jobs.
“When I was coming down and saw the smoke, my heart just sunk. It was just devastating,” Mason said.
Throughout the rest of the day, there will be at least one crew at the scene dumping more water onto the building until they are certain it is out.
The smoke from the fire caused air quality concerns in the local area to the point that Jefferson High School let out their students early Wednesday.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Stay tuned with KOIN 6 as we bring you more on this developing story.
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