Portland Fire and Rescue

Portland Fire & Rescue Responds to Electrical Vault fire Downtown

Portland Fire and Rescue

February 07, 2014 03:43

Firefighters from across downtown Portland extinguished an electrical vault fire in the basement of a downtown apartment building. Electrical fires are among the most complicated for crews to face, as water cannot be used until electricity is terminated to the point of fire origin.

Carbon Dioxide extinguishers were used to keep the fire contained until power to the vault could be cut. Elsewhere in the building crews worked to evacuate residents and clear smoke filled stairways and common areas.

Portland General Electric is on scene to assist with the electrical vault. PGE estimates power will be out to the building for at least four hours as electrical crews work to repair and replace the damaged equipment.

Residents of the four-story apartment building have been evacuated to Hotel Deluxe who made available an unoccupied event space to shelter those displaced from the inclement weather.

Fire units surrounding the building forced a temporary closure of MAX lines, buses have arrived on scene to shuttle riders around the closure.

Fire cause determination and damage estimate are pending. Ambulances were called as a precaution and later cleared once firefighters determined no need. No injuries to firefighters or civilians are reported.

Incident Location:
1615 SW Morrison

Time of Dispatched: 6:47 pm

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