A fire that broke out in the kitchen of Gol Soccer Bar just before 1 a.m. Tuesday tore through a shared roofline on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, damaging at least seven businesses near Southeast 18th Avenue before Portland Fire & Rescue crews brought it under control in about 30 minutes. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation.
Restoration crews told KPTV the blaze originated inside Gol's kitchen and spread through a connected roof line into Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop and other neighboring storefronts along the block. Workers on scene said the shared roof was completely compromised, and while Gol was not considered a total loss, its interior will likely need to be gutted before any repairs can begin. Portland Fire & Rescue responded to the fire, according to a Facebook post from Portland Fire & Rescue. Station 9 has been busy lately — Hoodline reported the same crews battled a nearby apartment fire just days earlier.
A Neighborhood Fixture Hit Hard
Gol Soccer Bar had built a national reputation well beyond its Hawthorne storefront. Physician Dr. Peter Mahr bought the space, formerly the soccer bar 4-4-2, in 2019 and planned to reopen it as Gol. Before the fire, the bar ranked #21 on Yelp's 2026 list of the top 100 sports bars in the country and was a runner-up for USA Today's Best Soccer Bar award, according to background compiled on Wikipedia.
The bar's standing in the neighborhood was reinforced during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when Gol served as one of Portland's main fan gathering spots. It planned to open an hour before every match and expected the matches to be packed, per Willamette Week.
Flames Jump to Devil's Dill and Beyond
Flames traveled through the shared roof structure into Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop, one of the block's other longtime tenants. Devil's Dill first opened at 1711 SE Hawthorne Boulevard in May 2013 and expanded in February 2015 with the adjoining No Fun Bar, largely to meet Portland health code requirements for customer seating and dedicated restrooms, according to reporting from Bridgetown Bites. The shop has operated late into the night, per background compiled on Wikipedia.
Each of the seven affected businesses operates independently, meaning recovery timelines and repair decisions will vary storefront by storefront. The broader strip includes businesses beyond food and drink.
Why Fires Spread So Fast Along Hawthorne
The fire's spread through the connected structure underscores how damage can move between neighboring storefronts. Restoration crews noted the shared roof at the scene was fully compromised.
The incident underscores the importance of limiting flame spread in structural fires, especially where businesses share connected spaces.
Why Fires Can Affect Multiple Storefronts
Tuesday's fire shows how a blaze can affect multiple storefronts along Hawthorne.
Even after crews clear the scene, recovery for affected businesses can take time.
