Vancouver fire battles blaze at former Joe’s Crab Shack

The Vancouver Fire Department responded to a fire at the former Joe’s Crab Shack along the Columbia River this morning.

The department received a report of a fire at the restaurant that closed in May of 2020 about 5:40 a.m. Monday, according to a statement from the agency.

The first fire crews to arrive found flames outside the building that were quickly spreading inside. Firefighters attacked the blaze using several hose lines.

Columbia Way was closed for several hours in both directions to allow Vancouver firefighters to extend a large hose from the fire hydrant across the street to help fight the fire. The road is expected to be closed until about 8 a.m.

According to the statement, the fire was knocked down in 10 minutes but wasn’t fully under control for about 50 minutes. The building’s sprinkler system was activated which helped firefighters control the fire.

In total, 20 firefighters responded, along with the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office which is investigating the cause of the fire. The Vancouver Fire Department’s boat was dispatched to the river to assist fire fighting efforts from the Columbia but ultimately was not needed.

No injuries were reported.