Second Alarm Commercial Fire At Albertsons In Cully Neighborhood
Portland, Ore. – Just before 5 PM on Thursday, Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at the Albertsons located at the intersection of NE Cully and NE Prescott in the Cully Neighborhood of NE PDX. The incident was reported due to heavy black smoke and sounds of explosions emanating from the back of the store.
Upon arrival, the first responding crew observed thick black smoke originating from the roof and immediately called for a second alarm assignment, bringing an additional 7 emergency rigs and 25 more firefighters to assist the nearly 30 personnel already dispatched to the scene.
Store management confirmed that all employees had safely evacuated the building prior to the arrival of fire crews. A sweep of the interior of the store revealed no signs of smoke, indicating that the fire was confined to the roof area. An external assessment of the building uncovered a large rental forklift and several containers of construction materials, suggesting ongoing roof construction.
Due to the limited reach of the initial four fire engines’ ladders, which extended only 24 feet, access to the roof from the exterior was not possible until a truck company arrived with rooftop aerial ladders extending up to 110 feet. Additionally, ground ladders capable of extending to 35 and 45 feet were used to establish access from the ground. One fire company utilized an interior roof access ladder to reach the roof, while two ladder trucks extended their aerial ladders from the outside. Fire crews accompanied store management back inside the building to ensure all heating elements and fryers in the deli department were turned off to mitigate the risk of unmonitored appliance fires.
Reports from the roof indicated a 20′ x 40′ section of construction materials and roofing structure was on fire. Among the items ablaze were stacks of foam material, propane tanks, and other equipment. Firefighters deployed hoses up the aerial ladders and successfully halted the spread of fire in the roofing material, extinguishing all flames in the construction materials swiftly.
Once the fire was extinguished, and no signs of roof penetration were found, all second alarm units were released, while first responding companies remained on site to ensure complete extinguishment.
The fire investigator examined the scene, conducting a physical examination and interviewing construction crew members and store staff present during the incident. No injuries were reported.
Portland Fire & Rescue expressed gratitude to the Portland Police for traffic control, ensuring the protection of hose lines across major thoroughfares during peak evening traffic. They also acknowledged the assistance received from dispatchers at BOEC, who monitored the fire and coordinated communication with additional agencies on their behalf. Lastly, the representatives of both the power and gas companies were recognized for their prompt arrival and willingness to provide any necessary assistance with utilities.
