PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Portland Fire and Rescue responded to a large fire at North Portland’s former Farmers Barn Tavern on Wednesday night, which has been the site of eight fires in the past year.
Firefighters say the building off North Lombard has been abandoned for several years and is on a list of about 40 buildings they deem “unsafe” in Portland, meaning it’s dangerous to enter.
Officials say they had to withdraw crews and just have a defensive attack because the building was too dangerous to enter. However, no one was injured and no surrounding homes caught fire, according to authorities.
Rick Graves of PF&R said homeless people have been using the building as a shelter.
“There has been a history of in and out usage of that location,” Graves said. “Portland Fire is constantly addressing some of these abandoned buildings.”
Eric Marentette lives nearby and says he is frustrated because this fire was inevitable.
“For about the last 18 months, the building has been a complete nuisance with squatters, campers,” he said. “There’s been a lot of theft.”
This is at least the fifth serious fire at an abandoned building in Portland just this year: At an abandoned duplex in the Lloyd neighborhood last week, at the former Elks Lodge building in Northeast Portland the week before, at an abandoned building on Northeast 100th in March, and at an old Korean church in downtown Portland in January.
Graves says they’re trying to respond in a way that’s safe for their crews and considerate of the community.
“They are leading to our administration to evaluate our tactics and what do we do in situations of abandoned buildings,” Graves said.
But Marentette thinks the city needs to get a handle on the issue.
“I think the city needs to figure out better ways to deal with this before it comes to this result,” he said. “I don’t think the city seems equipped to deal with it until they’re embarrassed (when) a city council meeting or news organizations take them to task.”
According to City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez:
“Moving forward, Portland Fire and my office will be working with the City Attorney to expedite demolition of The Barn, and with the Portland Bureau of Transportation to facilitate road closures around the site as necessary.
“These very dangerous fires are the result of our community’s inability to address effectively unsanctioned camping and squatters. Until we offer adequate shelter options and enforce the law with respect to unsanctioned camping and squatting, these fires will continue. The brave men and women of Fire’s Emergency Operations’ Division respond to those fires with the resources they have at-hand.
“Property owners also have a responsibility to keep their buildings safe. It is primarily with the property owner that the City – through the Fire Marshal’s Office and the enforcement wings of the city – seeks enforcement of any applicable city code.”