Portland, OR, Firefighters Rescue Person from Fire, Transport in Engine

A firefighter suffered an injured back during the rescue of the unconscious man from the Portland apartment.
Aug. 18, 2025
2 min read

Sami Edge

oregonlive.com

(TNS)

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.

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.

This story was updated at 12:20 p.m. to include updated information from Portland Fire & Rescue.

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

 

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