Hazel Dell house fire sends man to Portland burn center

A man was taken to a Portland hospital to be treated for burns after his house caught fire Sunday morning in Hazel Dell.

Clark County Fire District 6 responded at 5:13 a.m. for a two-story house fire at 2504 N.E. 80th St. The first crew to arrive found heavy fire on the back side of the house, along with smoke coming out of the front door and windows, according to agency spokesman David Schmitke.

A neighbor rescued the man from just inside the front entrance and helped a woman down from a second-story window before crews arrived, Schmitke said. The man was taken by ambulance to Legacy Emanuel Burn Center. A dog was also rescued from the backyard and taken to a vet to be evaluated.

Crews quickly extinguished the fire at the back of the house, but Schmitke said the house was a total loss. Fire District 6 was on scene for 4½ hours, and firefighters kept the blaze from spreading to nearby houses.

The smoke alarms in the house were sounding when firefighters arrived, which Schmitke said serves as a reminder that the devices can save lives.

“This is a pretty visual example of why we harp functional smoke detectors so much,” Schmitke said. “They were also very fortunate to have a neighbor who got very involved, and, honestly, if it wasn’t for those two, this would be quite likely a different outcome.”

The Red Cross responded to help the man and woman who were displaced. Fire District 6 was assisted by the Vancouver Fire Department.

The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause.