Two-alarm fire strikes Vancouver auto body shop

A fire at a Vancouver auto body shop quickly grew to two alarms Wednesday evening.

The fire was reported at 10:17 p.m. at Maaco, 2735 N.E. Andresen Road, which is directly behind Living Hope Church. The church’s massive parking lot is being used as a staging area and command post.

The burning building is a one-story auto shop with metal walls and roof. It is owned by a West Linn, Ore. company called Lexington Properties, according to county property records. Maaco franchises provide auto painting and auto body repair services.

Six fire engines and both of the Vancouver Fire Department’s ladder trucks were called to the scene to fight the fire.  Portland Fire & Rescue also sent a ladder truck and a fire chief to assist. Two additional engines were tapped out to the scene shortly before 11 p.m.

By 11 p.m., firefighters were being ordered out of the building. A ladder truck was being set up to stream a water onto the fire from above once the roof is pierced, either by the fire or by firefighters.

With most of the Vancouver Fire Department on the scene of the Maaco fire, rural fire departments were being moved to cover empty Vancouver fire stations.