June 24, 2012

2:21 PM

At 12:07 pm Portland Fire & Rescue responded to reports of a house fire at 3724 SE 9th Ave. Multiple calls were received from neighbors and fire crews could see smoke coming from the scene as they were responding. At 12:10 pm, six minutes after the original call came in, Engine 21 (Eastbank/Hawthorne) arrived to find a 10 ft. by 10 ft. playhouse on fire in the backyard.

The crew from Engine 21 quickly stretched a hose line to the back of the house and extinguished the flames while making sure that no one was inside the play structure. It was noted by firefighters that the fire had been hot enough to melt the vinyl siding on the back of the house. The fire also melted a plastic fence and damaged a few trees. The fire was brought under control at 12:17 pm.

"Due to the quick thinking from members of the neighboring homes, fire crews were notified and were able to extinguish the blaze in a matter of minutes," said Portland Fire & Rescue Public Information Officer Paul Corah.

Portland Fire & Rescue wants to remind its citizens to never hesitate to call 911 when there is suspicion that a neighboring house could be on fire. You might be the only person who has seen the smoke and/or flames.

A Portland Fire Investigator is on scene and the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time. There was a damage estimate of $1,500 to the play structure, $2,000 damage to the vinyl siding on the house, $1,000 damage to a plastic fence and $500 damage to a few trees.