Spencer Tejedas, a firefighter from Gresham, has been battling for his life in critical condition following severe burn injuries sustained during a May 30 residential fire. According to KATU, Tejedas has undergone three skin graft surgeries and is currently intubated at Legacy Memorial Hospital. "He’s still a very hurt, very sick young man and he has a long road to recovery in front of him," shared Gresham Fire Chief, Scott Lewis, highlighting the gravity of the situation. Reports have described this incident as one of the worst injuries in the department's history.

Initial response to the southeast Portland house fire was triggered by reports that a child might have been trapped inside, but this was later found to quickly not be the case. The origin of the blaze, as per KPTV, was linked to an unattended candle, used after a power shutoff at the property. "The cause of this fire was an unattended candle. And they were using candles because their power was shut off, and that happens, and we understand that," explained Chief Lewis. The intensity of the fire caused a flashover -- a near-simultaneous ignition of most combustible material in an area -- leaving Tejedas critically injured, as the gear worn could not withstand the extreme conditions.

In the aftermath of the fire and resulting injuries to Tejedas, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to support him and his family. The fundraiser has already seen tremendous support from the community, raising close to $200,000, a testament to the collective concern and solidarity. Additionally, Chief Lewis has invited the community to send letters of encouragement to Tejedas’s family, either by dropping them off at Station 71 or mailing them to the station's address, as reported by KGW.