Umatilla County Fire District #1 responded to a Tuesday morning fire that damaged two houses and four vehicles in Hermiston.
The call came in at 4:59 a.m. for a house fire in the 200 block of West Ridgeway. The first crew to arrive found one house fully involved and the carport of the house to the east also on fire. Four vehicles were parked between the houses and one was also on fire.
EMTs transported one woman from the residence that was on fire to Good Shepherd Medical Center for possible smoke inhalation, and she was later flown to a Portland area hospital. The occupant of the house to the east was out of town at the time of the fire.
Fire crews began a defensive attack on both houses, then began an interior attack on the house to the east to try to douse the flames. After two hours the fire was under control, but there was substantial damage to both buildings and all four vehicles.
“As is becoming more common, lack of staffing and volunteers put us in a difficult position as we attacked a very complicated and dangerous fire,” said Fire Chief Scott Stanton. “We had to remain on scene for a good portion of the morning and divert new calls for service to other agencies.”
A total of 24 personnel responded to the fire, including 18 from UCFD1. Volunteers from Umatilla and Echo rural fire departments provided mutual aid.
Fire Marshal Scott Goff estimated the total damage to the houses, contents and vehicles at $400,000.
wait, did I read this right, due to lack of of staffing…. I thought that if we voted in the district we would have plenty of staff and so forth. what the hell happened? do I detect an untruth to your statement back then??
My dogs died in that fire. My wife sustained 3rd degree inhalation burns in both lungs and he throat. We almost died in that fire. When we were finally able to make it out, not ONE man helped me drag my wife out of a window and through my front yard. Only one tiny woman stepped up. She had the strength of a lion!! She had the heart of a warrior. And she ACTED. she helped me save my wife from that house. No one would help me get my dogs out of the same window I had to smash out to get my wife out. No one would even give me a flashlight. So my two dogs both perished from smoke inhalation.
That was my home and those were my loved ones.
Each one of their lives is valued.
The world I knew for 49 years ended in that fire. Things can be replaced.
Pictures can be re printed.
But lives cannot be given back.
To some they were just animals.
To us they were our children.
Prayers to you and your wife. Hope she makes a fast recovery. So sorry about your dogs. So heartbreaking. My pets are my family too and yes their lives should matter too.! I know you don’t know me, but please reach out if you guys need anything.
What isn’t mentioned is how long the woman was lying on the grass with nobody from ucfd or hpd checking on her. And the response from the battalion chief when he finally got out of his vehicle after 35 minutes. Made several attempts and pleas with officers and the battalion chief with no response or help.
That is a horrible description of Vital help for life! What is this world coming to when 24 Official people responded plus on lookers but only 1 bystander helped the living, how is that even possible?
Figures it’s because of their guy that hires he nit picks who’s good enough in his eyes
This a dad a and tragic story that should have never been. It is clear that the firefighters on sight are not atypical of those who we have as Americans especially in small towns we have come to believe are their not only to extinguish a fire but also save the occupants both human and our dear companions .
It sounds that with some assistance your wife could have been helped and treated sooner and your beloved dogs could have been saved. And thankfully a bystander was there and helped that many firefighters shouldn’t have allowed another person to be put in jeopardy. If they had done there jobs in the manner of which we have come to expect! And to answer the question posed by another reader yes we did vote on staffing and it passed and I myself just seen two brand new fire trucks and I question as to why an ambulance wasn’t on site after all it was early morning leading most to believe in high likelihood people would be in the homes and may need immediate treatment after rescue. My heart and prayers go out to your wife and you as well as the loss of your beloved furry babies. May the lord bless you and keep you.
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