Flames tore through a Gresham home early Monday, displacing three people and their beloved pets, according to local authorities. The blaze, which also consumed multiple cars parked in the driveway, erupted in the 2400 block of SW 1st Street shortly after the witching hour.
One of the residents, jolted awake by the shriek of smoke alarms, acted quickly to shepherd their animals out of the inferno. Having barely escaped with their lives, they then drove to a hospital for treatment. As the fire raged, it made quick work of the vehicles nearby, with KATU capturing images of the fiery destruction.
Gresham Fire crews, responding to the call, faced a house swallowed by flames. While the structure was heavily damaged, the fire's wrath did not claim any human or animal lives, a testament to the lifesaving importance of working smoke detectors in the home.
The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation. For those now without a home, the road to recovery is laid out before them, riddled with challenges and uncertainty. Gresham officials have not released further details about the fire's origin or the condition of those hospitalized. However, images shared by the Gresham Fire Department bore silent witness to the night's harrowing events.
