Fire forces evacuation of Oregon apartments

9/29/2010

Residents of an Oregon apartment building were evacuated Tuesday by a fire that began in the wall between two ground-floor units, fire Chief Ed Ellis said.

The fire was out by 8 last night, nearly five hours after it was reported. Nobody was hurt, but a dog died in an apartment where the tenant was not home.

Kitchens adjoin in the 24-unit, three-story building at 2862 Pickle Rd., and the fire started in the wall between back-to-back stoves. Why it started remains undetermined, Chief Ellis said.

There was significant damage to six apartments as firefighters pulled apart walls, floors, and ceilings to get at the seat of the fire. Most of the rest of the building had smoke damage. There was no dollar estimate of the damage last night.

The Red Cross was assisting those residents who were displaced by the blaze.