Two people and a dog had to be rescued from the second-floor balcony of a burning apartment building Friday night in Hazel Dell, according to Clark County Fire District 6. The fire displaced about 30 residents.
The two-alarm fire heavily damaged an apartment unit at Parklane Apartments, 10269 N.E. Notchlog Drive and resulted in a power shut-off to 15 apartment units, according to the fire district.
Disaster responders with the local American Red Cross established a temporary shelter for displaced residents at St John Lutheran Church, 11005 N.E. Highway 99.
Individuals and families affected by the apartment fire and in need of shelter assistance are encouraged to simply show up at the shelter for help, Red Cross officials said.
The fire was reported at 7:55 p.m. Callers reported seeing smoke and flames and hearing the sound of glass breaking, according to radio traffic.
Fire District 6 crews responding to the 911 call reported seeing a smoke plume as they approached the complex and requested a second alarm.
On scene, a team of firefighters used a ladder to rescued Scott Liddle, Angela Berard and her pit bull mix, Brutus, from a second floor balcony while others attacked the fire. Liddle said he was in the apartment when the alarm went off and discovered the hallway outside his apartment was full of smoke.
Liddle, Berard and Brutus escaped to the back balcony just as firefighters arrived with a ladder.
Fire district officials said it took 15 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Fire crews then turned their attention to extinguishing embers in the attic. All told, it took about 60 minutes for firefighters to bring the blaze under control.
The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office has been called in to investigate.
