4th of July Fire - Portland 7-3-2014

[Guest]

Unlike Boston where the 4th is the big night, here in Portland, it's the 3rd, but we usually get bushes, grass and fireworks and rarely a house fire.

Tonight, July 3, was the exception. At 22:28, Dispatch started receiving calls for a house fire on my street, but 44 blocks away at 17036 SE Alder St. It didn't matter because I was on Truck 7 and we were 2nd due after Eng. 31.


On arrival there was heavy smoke showing and heavy artillery (fireworks) exploding.


 

Someone said there was heavy fire in the rear. There was.



Eng. 7 took a 2-1/2 from Eng. 31 to knock down the fire in the rear.



Then someone pulled a 1-3/4 line for backup.



On the B side, Chief Wilson points out some fire to Chris Fukai.



B.A. found a lot of fire in the garage ceiling.



The C side, later.


 

My shot of the lines around Eng. 31 revealed a surprise across the street. People. We seldom see anyone at a house fire except for an occasional neighbor, but in this case the whole neighborhood was out watching - and throwing fireworks. That stopped once the Investigators arrived and started writing citations.