Man on Roof Pushes Wash. Firefighters' Ladders During Fire

Sept. 29--Firefighters on the scene of a commercial fire at the Quality Inn in Hazel Dell had their efforts complicated by a man on the roof of the burning building.

The fire was reported at 3:50 p.m. Saturday at 7001 N.E. Highway 99.

The fire started in the man's room, fire officials said later Saturday. As of 5:30 p.m., negotiators were trying to get him off the roof of the building.

Units arriving on scene found flames coming through the roof of the north building. They also found the man on the roof waving his arms. The man began pushing ladders of firefighters attempting to reach him from the roof.

Firefighters entering the building found smoke in the hallways. Fire appeared to have started in one of the rooms and spread into the attic area.

Firefighters brought the fire under control in about 15 minutes.

A reporter arriving on scene said the man was standing on the roof of the building, shirtless and smoking a cigarette.

Law enforcement personnel and firefighters are working to gain access to the roof. They are also calling in a Spanish-language translator.

Deputies from the Clark County Sheriff's Office worked to talk the man off the roof as firefighters worked to extinguish hot spots remaining on the roof.

Witnesses on scene report that the man on the roof may have started the fire.

Shortly after 5 p.m., fire trucks were departing the scene. The man remained on the roof as deputies worked to get him down.

After 5:45 p.m., firefighters set up a ladder truck to provide the man easy access to the ground.

Firefighters are giving man on roof "a way down if he wants it," said Clark County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Duncan Hoss. "He can't kick that one down."

This story will be updated.

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Copyright 2012 - The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.