Trending Topics

Ore. firefighters transport victim to hospital in fire truck after apartment fire rescue

Portland firefighters rescued a resident and, with the ambulance 10 minutes out, transported the patient themselves

By Sami Edge
oregonlive.com

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland firefighters responded to an apartment fire near Northwest 23rd Ave and Northwest Overton Street around 9 a.m. Sunday to find “heavy gray smoke” pouring from a second-floor window, Portland Fire & Rescue said in a news release.

Firefighters found a resident stuck on the top floor of the complex, three levels above the street, and pulled the person out of their window. An ambulance was still 10 minutes away at the time, firefighters said, so they drove the patient to the hospital themselves. The person is in serious condition, suffering from burns and complications from smoke inhalation, the fire bureau said.

| LISTEN: Is it ever acceptable to transport a patient in a fire truck?

One of the firefighters hurt his back during the rescue and had to be transported to the hospital as well, the bureau said.

Firefighters knocked out the blaze within minutes of their arrival. The fire extended to a neighboring unit and that resident also went to the hospital to be evaluated for minor injuries, the fire bureau said.

At least three residents were displaced from their homes and two pets, one dog and one cat, died in the fire, the bureau said.

Trending
Practical, authentic ways to show gratitude and strengthen community ties with the people who respond first when it matters most
Skagit County will raise transport rates by 3% each year, equalizing fees for residents and nonresidents while keeping Medicaid and Medicare rates unchanged
Arlington Fire Department, AMR Arlington and Medical City Arlington have launched a Whole Blood Program, allowing paramedics to give transfusions in the field
With costs for staffing, equipment and insurance climbing, Good Fellowship Ambulance projects a $500,000 increase in its 2026 deficit

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit oregonlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Company News
NSCFD sought out a solution to keep pace with high-acuity demands and reduce provider stress in time-critical situations