Eighteen people were displaced in two residential fires that happened early Sunday in Clark County.
The first was reported at 12:28 a.m. at 4119 N.E. Saint Johns Road, a two-story apartment building. The Vancouver Fire Department responded to the fire at Pine Grove Apartments, which is in the Minnehaha area just outside city limits.
A lot of people called about the fire and neighbors were knocking on doors to alert them to the fire, said Vancouver fire Capt. Scott Willis. Due to the size of the building, the agency called for a second-alarm. Over 30 firefighters worked to put out the blaze, which reached the attic, Willis said. He didn’t know how badly the building was damaged.
Ten adults, one child and several pets were displaced by the fire, according to the American Red Cross Cascades Region, which responded to assist people with temporary housing and emergency recovery services.
The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating what caused the fire.
A few hours later, at 3:11 a.m., Clark County Fire & Rescue was called to 12605 N.E. 184th St. Four adults and three children were displaced by the fire at the 7,444-square-foot, three-story house just south of Battle Ground city limits and near state Highway 503.
Clark County Fire & Rescue called for a second alarm and got assistance from the Vancouver Fire Department and Fire District 3, said Battalion Chief Tim Dawdy.
“The fire had a pretty good head start on us,” Dawdy said, adding that the house was badly damaged.
The fire marshal’s office is investigating that fire as well. It’s possible an exterior fire ignited the home from the back porch.
Dawdy said that due to the size of the house, firefighters were essentially fighting a commercial fire. The residence did not have an in-home sprinkler system, which would have helped douse the flames. Firefighters extinguished the fire early Sunday and continued working on overhauling the building later in the morning, he said.
That fire displaced four adults and three children, the Red Cross said.
