Late Sunday night, flames broke out on the roof of a North Portland church, but a fast response from firefighters kept the damage from turning into a full-scale loss. The building was closed at the time and no injuries were reported.
Roof Catches Fire On N. Willamette
Portland Fire & Rescue says the roof fire started shortly before 11:43 p.m. Sunday near North Willamette Boulevard and Liberty Street at a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, according to KOIN. Because of the size of the building, the bureau posted about the incident on social media and called in extra resources.
Crews Cut Into Roof To Expose Hidden Flames
Firefighters upgraded the response to a second alarm and went after flames that were burning out of sight inside the structure, per KPTV. Crews cut into the roof to remove burning material and reported they were able to keep the blaze largely confined to a small portion of the roof.
Thirty Minutes To Control, Cause Still Under Review
Officials said firefighters had the blaze under control in roughly 30 minutes and stayed on scene to chase down hot spots while investigators worked to determine a cause, KXL reported. So far, the bureau has not released additional details about structural damage beyond the roof area.
Separate Apartment Fire Stretches Overnight Coverage
Before dawn, Portland Fire & Rescue also responded to a separate apartment fire, with crews finding a second-floor bedroom blaze on SW 71st Street that investigators believe started from a space heater, KPTV reported. No injuries were reported in either incident, and the department said the overnight calls briefly stretched resources across the city.
