PORTLAND, ORE. - The huge smoke plume can be seen for miles as firefighters battle a five-alarm fire that broke out this afternoon at an apartment complex.
The massive fire started around 1:00 p.m. at a multi-unit apartment complex on Northwest Miller Road that is under construction.
Tim Birr with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue says the fact that the complex has not yet been finished is contributing to the spread of the fire.
"What often happens is that all of the fire protection features that would be built into a finished building aren't there yet," he told KATU News. "So what you have is what we would call a large, open crib type of fire and it just literally is like a large pile of kindling. There is really very little to stop the fire."
According to Portland Fire officials, one of the apartment buildings has already collapsed onto the roadway and fire crews are pumping water onto the remaining buildings to try to douse the flames.
The fire was originally a two-alarm fire, but about half an hour later, it went to three alarms as fire crews realized they would need more help to battle the flames.
A huge plume of smoke can be seen billowing into the air above the fire and heavy flames are shooting out of several roofs of the apartment complex.
Because of the fire's size and heat, the American Red Cross said they were asked by the Portland Fire Bureau to provide food and water assist firefighters in their work.
Fire officials are concerned that burning embers may fly into the air and land on nearby structures.
The mountainous and heavily wooded terrain around the fire scene hampered access by fire equipment and raised concerns that the fire could spread to nearby single family homes.
From Jet Ranger 2, neighbors can be seen using hoses to spray water on their roofs.
So far, there have no reports of injuries as a result of the fire.
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