MILWAUKIE, Ore. — Flames from a burning house in Milwaukie spread to the home next door before firefighters were able to extinguish the flames early Sunday morning, according to a statement from the Milwaukie Police Department. Police are now looking for someone reportedly spotted by witnesses at the scene.
Officers and firefighters from Clackamas Fire responded just before 3 a.m. to a home in the 2900 block of Southeast Harrison Street for a report of a residential fire. They arrived to find the home being consumed by flames, with multiple tall trees outside beginning to burn.
Police said that they found a woman outside who claimed to be the resident of the home, and she said that no one else was inside. Meanwhile, officers began evacuating the homes nearby.
While fire crews were still arriving at the scene, flames were already spreading to a home next door to the source of the fire. Officers evacuated all of the people and pets inside without any reported injuries.
Both police and firefighters noted that the home where the fire started was filled with items, making it difficult to access and extinguish the fire. In a tweet, Clackamas Fire referred to "hoarding conditions" at the home which made firefighting efforts more dangerous.
With assistance from Portland Fire & Rescue ladder crews, Clackamas fire crews stopped the flames from spreading to any further homes.
Milwaukie police are now looking for more information on a "person or persons" that multiple witnesses said they saw just prior to when the fire began and "may have knowledge of the incident." Anyone with more information is asked to contact Officer Campos at camposme@milwaukieoregon.gov.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by both Milwaukie police and Clackamas Fire.
