Portland Firefighters were called to a house fire in the 5000 block of NE Alberta St. early Friday morning with reports of possibly two occupants still inside.
Crews found the house "fully involved" with heavy fire across the entire front of the structure and beginning to spread to a house on the east side.
Engine 28 initiated a defensive attack spraying water from the "deck gun" mounted on top of their engine.
They also recognized that a power line had burned through and draped across a metal fence, possibly energizing it, and that the gas meter had been damaged by the fire and was emitting flames.
The circumstances of this fire became complex very quickly and Engine 28 called for a second alarm at 0237 to get additional resources.
All four occupants of the home were located outside and safe.
The extent of the fire damage to the building, the downed power line, and the leaking gas meter all created hazards to firefighters that impeded the firefighting effort.
Crews were able to stretch hose lines around the house and get the fire knocked down but had to wait until the gas meter could be shut off by NW Natural and the power line de-energized by PP&L to completely extinguish the flames.
The cause of this fire is still under investigation.
Red Cross responded to assist the occupants who lost everything in the fire.