PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Multiple injuries were reported after people jumped from the second story of a Cedar Mills apartment complex when fire erupted in the early hours of Saturday.
Eight people were taken to a hospital for treatment, 7 others were rescued and one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, officials with TVFR said. Dozens more were displaced by the 2-alarm fire on Southwest Barnes Road.
Officials said 911 calls began pouring in just after 3 a.m. One of those callers was Sarah Boliek, who said she was awakened by explosive noises. She alerted her cousin who also lives at the multi-complex building.
“I could hear people yelling, ‘Wake up, get out,’ screaming,” Boliek told KOIN 6 News. “Fire started arriving and a bunch of sheriffs, and a girl looked like she had a very broken wrist. She said, ‘it hurts,’ and it was pretty bent. And I think she had jumped down from her balcony because she was covered in mud.”
Among those to jump was Haley Hawkins, who suffered severe burns and broke her wrist after falling from the second floor to escape the fire. Haskins’ friends set up a GoFundMe to help support her recovery efforts.
TVFR spokesperson Kim Haugh said the cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Ten units and a staircase were damaged in the blaze and several pets were among the rescues in the complex.
“There were several people that also did jump out of upper story windows or out windows that sustained injuries,” Haughn said. “Several of the people involved sustained pretty serious injuries and we want to make sure the people displaced have temporary housing and other essential needs.”
Boliek said she is grateful she and her cousin are OK.
“We’re safe and healthy and everything’s OK and I’m just grateful that Fire and medics were there so quickly,” she said.
Haugh described the incident as “a tragic call.”
“Our hearts go out to everyone that’s impacted by this fire and everyone that witnessed it in this complex. These are communities. These are people that oftentimes know each other too,” she said. “So, we can only imagine how traumatizing it is for everyone that was involved.”
The apartment property management team for the complex has offered all displaced residents new temporary units to stay in, TVFR said.