A man was taken to an area hospital after suffering burns in a fire at a motel in Hazel Dell early Wednesday morning.
Crews from Clark County Fire District 6 and Vancouver Fire Department were called to a blaze at Value Motel, 708 N.E. 78th St., just after 4 a.m.
Firefighters arrived and found flames coming out of a broken bottom floor window, Fire District 6 Battalion Chief Bryan Baum said.
A man who appeared to have burns on his arms, chest and back was outside of the motel room and walking around, Baum said. He was treated by fire personnel and transported by AMR to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland.
His condition was not available.
Crews knocked down the blaze within 10 minutes, Baum said, containing the fire to the single motel room.
However, smoke damaged an adjacent office, Deputy Clark County Fire Marshal Susan Anderson said. Damage from smoke and fire resulted in about $48,000 damage to the structure and $25,000 to contents, she said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation because fire investigators have not yet been able to interview the occupant, Anderson said. She added that there was no indication that it was criminal in nature.
A vehicle in front of the motel room was seen Wednesday morning with a broken window, but Anderson said it appeared the occupant was trying to access his own vehicle as the fire burned.
