Four-person staffing of Portland Fire reduce damage to apartment complex (Photo)

July 11, 2023 19:45

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Four-person staffing of Portland Fire reduce damage to apartment complex.

Portland Fire responded to a possible apartment complex fire at the intersection of N. Concord and Ainsworth in the Interstate Corridor Neighborhood just after 5 PM. The first fire engine and battalion chief arrived simultaneously to have heavy fire showing from the front of an interior apartment in a 4-unit building with each apartments having 2 levels in their living space. With the traffic congestion of the 5 o’clock hour slowing the progress of the engines and trucks at a distance, it was imperative that the first arriving crews were able to get to work immediately to limit the spread of flames from the apartment on fire to the remainder of the fourplex.

The chief directed an offensive fire attack to the engine crew. Two members of the engine company stretched a hose line to the front door while the officer connected a supply hose line to the fire hydrant while the driver put the pump into gear and began to flow water to the stretched hand line at the front door for the backseat team to go interior and begin to extinguish the fire. With reports that residents still could be inside the complex, the first truck was directed to perform a search upon arrival.

Reports from dispatch that the resident of the fire apartment was seen shortly before the fire was present indicating the importance of a thorough search of the fire unit. Additionally, crews on scene reported that there was an elderly resident in an adjacent apartment who was not seen on the outside of the building directing a focused search of the neighboring units as well.

Smoke was reported to be pushing out under pressure from all attic vents with a concern that the fire had spread into attic and was potentially running the entire length of the building. Exterior crews were cutting holes in the roof while interior crews were pulling ceiling to gain access to the attic space. 

Primary search of all levels of the units in question was reported to be all clear and no occupants were found inside. The chief directed a focused secondary search of the fire apartment along with the apartment with the reported elderly resident. Each of these secondary searches were also all clear of occupants but neither the resident of the fire apartment nor the neighboring apartment was seen on the exterior of the building. The chief directed a different crew to enter and perform a thorough third search of each of these units to have a fresh set of eyes in the search and this third search also came up all clear with no occupant found on the inside.

During the time crews were searching, other members were able completely extinguish the flames on both levels in the fire apartment. Access to the attic space was then achieved by pulling ceiling in multiple apartments and water was applied to completely extinguish the flames in the attic space as well.

No injuries were reported to a resident or firefighters. The fire is currently under investigation. 

With the staffing level of all front-line fire engines and trucks within Portland Fire & Rescue having 4-members, two members of the crew are permitted to enter a structure immediately and begin fire suppression actions with 2 remaining on the outside ready to go in and perform a rescue if needed. This “two in – two out” guideline is established by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) to provide a safe working environment for emergency personnel on scene. While NFPA 1710 states that professional fire agencies should be always staffed with 4 on-duty personnel, many professional fire agencies run with only a 3-person staffing model. Significant fire growth in this apartment complex was prevented due to the ability of the PF&R crews to get to work immediately upon arrival based off the 4-person staffing model of engines and trucks in place within Portland Fire & Rescue.

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