Vacant Building Destroyed in Highway 39 Fire
Firefighters responded early Thursday near Oregon Highway 39 and Roberta Drive, where live power lines and limited water supply complicated the response.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – A vacant structure near Oregon Highway 39 and Roberta Drive was destroyed in an overnight fire early Thursday, according to Klamath County Fire District 1.
Fire crews were dispatched at 12:48 a.m. May 28 to a reported structure fire near Highway 39 and Roberta Drive in Klamath Falls.
When firefighters arrived, they found what fire officials described as a vacant and dilapidated structure with heavy fire throughout the first floor, second floor and attic space.
Klamath County Fire District 1 said the response was complicated by live power lines and limited water supply in the area.
Firefighters worked to search the remaining structure for potential victims while also attacking the fire. As conditions worsened and the structure became unstable, crews shifted to a defensive strategy.
Smoke pours from a vacant structure near Oregon Highway 39 and Roberta Drive during an overnight fire early Thursday in Klamath Falls. Photo courtesy of Klamath County Fire District 1.
Klamath County Fire District 1 responded with four engines, one ambulance, one water tender and two command units.
Assistance was provided by Kingsley Fire Department, Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Cover image: Firefighters work at the scene of an overnight structure fire near Oregon Highway 39 and Roberta Drive in Klamath Falls. Fire officials said live power lines, limited water supply and structural instability complicated the response. Photo courtesy of Klamath County Fire District 1.
