Firefighters cut hole in side of Ridgefield outbuilding to extinguish fire

Numerous responders helped to extinguish a fire early morning Monday at an shop building in the Fairgrounds neighborhood of Ridgefield.

Clark County Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched about 3:33 a.m. to 903 N.E. 209th Street for the report of an outbuilding structure fire.

The resident called 911 and reported that there was black smoke coming from their 24-by-4-foot shop building, Chief John Nohr said. When firefighters arrived, they saw the same.

It took a while for firefighters to determine how to effectively approach and douse the fire, Nohr said. Heavy smoke and moderate heat prevented them from entering the building through its main entrance, he said.

The shop also had a lot of contents, which created a challenge for firefighters. They ended up cutting a hole in the side of the building to access a raised loft area, from which they could better get at the flames.

“It still created a hazard. We were nervous about (the loft) collapsing because of the weight of our crew,” Nohr said.

The fire department remained at the scene for more than three hours, but most of that time was spent cleaning up.

Two engines from Fire District 6 also helped with the response.

The Clark County Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.