Other / Not Specified, Other Business Portland, OR – Firefighters use sprinkler system’s FDC to help control blaze at abandoned building; No injuries December 16, 2015 viking210 A fire broke out Tuesday night in an abandoned building that formerly housed the popular dive bar and music venue, Slabtown. Initial reports of smoke coming from a dumpster around NW 16th Avenue and NW Northrup Street came in around 7:30 p.m., Portland Fire & Rescue Lt. Rich Tyler said. When firefighters arrived, they determined the smoke was actually coming from the basement of what used to be Slabtown Bar. It was upgraded to a commercial fire and several more crews rushed to the scene. As they began to fight the fire, crews discovered holes they were previously unaware of in the basement of the abandoned building. That discovery, combined with knowledge of the building’s unstable structure, forced crews to retreat. “For us it’s unsafe,” Lt. Tyler explained. “There’s parts of the structure that, in fire conditions, would be unsafe for us as firefighters to be working in.” It was upgraded to a 2nd-alarm fire as crews worked to devise a new plan of attack. Lt. Tyler said all firefighters taken out of the building were accounted for. Fire hoses were hooked up to the building’s sprinkler system to help put out the flames. The fire was under control by 8:50 p.m. As of 10:15 p.m., firefighters were still working to put out hot spots in the basement. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
