A man in his 40s has died following a house fire that erupted early Monday morning in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood. The fire broke out around 3:24 a.m. near Southeast Flavel Street and Southeast 76th, prompting a swift response from Portland Fire & Rescue.
Upon arrival, firefighters encountered large flames emanating from what appeared to be the garage, with the fire rapidly spreading to neighboring homes. During an initial search of the property, crews located the man inside the home. Despite their efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet released his identity.
Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control within approximately 20 minutes, but faced several challenges during their response. Crews dealt with downed live power lines that had fallen across a nearby fence, requiring assistance from Pacific Power to manage the situation. Additionally, firefighters discovered that the closest fire hydrant was out of service, forcing them to utilize a hydrant located 300 feet away.
House fires can be caused by a variety of factors. Here are some common causes. Unattended cooking is one of the leading causes of house fires. Grease fires can ignite quickly if cooking oil gets too hot. Space heaters, fireplaces, and furnaces can be a fire hazard if not maintained properly or used too close to flammable materials.
Faulty wiring, overloaded outlets, and malfunctioning appliances can lead to electrical fires. Leaving candles unattended or placing them too close to flammable objects can result in a fire. Cigarettes or other smoking materials that are not properly extinguished can ignite furniture, bedding, or other materials. Improper storage of gasoline, cleaning agents, and other flammable liquids can lead to dangerous fires.
accidental fires.
Southeast Flavel Street was closed to traffic between Southeast 72nd and Southeast 76th as investigators worked to determine the cause of the fire. The incident remains under investigation, and further updates will be provided as information becomes available.
