A large vacant warehouse fire near Portland’s Fremont Bridge spread from the first floor to the second Sunday, forcing firefighters to abandon any interior attack and work from outside.
Portland Fire & Rescue said heavy brown smoke was pushing from the building under pressure on all sides along Naito Parkway. The bureau requested a second-alarm assignment as a public information officer headed to the scene, according to Portland Fire & Rescue.
Firefighters Stay Outside As Structure Fails
Officials reported that the fire began on the first floor and extended to the second. The building was deemed unsafe, meaning firefighters would not conduct interior firefighting and would instead use exterior defensive actions.
That tactical shift is a safety decision, not a stand-down. Portland Fire & Rescue’s unsafe-building policy says hazardous conditions can trigger a designation when a structure presents a significant threat to firefighter safety.
Cause, Injuries And Damage Remain Unknown
The fire department’s initial update did not identify what started the blaze, whether anyone was injured, or how much damage the warehouse sustained. It also did not identify the property by name beyond placing it on Naito Parkway near the Fremont Bridge.
The response comes months after an earlier possible-fire call on the same waterfront corridor. Hoodline reported that earlier call between the Fremont and Broadway bridges, though officials had not confirmed a fire at that time.
