In a challenging firefighting effort, two floating homes were destroyed and another was damaged by a fire along the Columbia River near Pier West, south of Hayden Island in Portland, Oregon. The incident occurred early Friday morning, with Portland Fire & Rescue crews responding to the blaze around 4 a.m.

Firefighting Challenges

The unique layout of the floating home community posed significant challenges for the firefighters. Crews had to navigate gangplanks and other obstacles to run water lines to the burning homes. Additionally, fireboats were utilized to draw water directly from the Columbia River, employing a ‘master stream’ to combat the most heavily damaged home from a distance.

Safety was a top priority for the firefighters, who were required to wear life jackets underneath their turnout gear due to the risk of falling into the water while working on the docks. Rick Graves, public information officer for Portland Fire & Rescue, described the situation as ‘very bulky’ and an encumbrance not typically encountered during firefighting operations.

Successful Evacuation

Despite the difficulties, firefighters successfully evacuated residents, including an elderly couple rescued shortly before their home caught fire. Fortunately, no residents were injured during the incident, and some homes, including one under construction, were saved from the flames.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, as officials work to determine what sparked the blaze that led to this significant loss for the floating home community.

Original reporting: KGW Portland — read the source article.