On August 17, 2025, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) crews performed a daring rescue during an apartment fire in Northwest Portland. The call came in at 8:54 a.m. with reports of smoke and flames from a second-story unit. Within four minutes, Engine 3 and Truck 3 arrived to find heavy gray smoke pouring from upstairs windows.
At 9:01 a.m., Engine 3 reported an imminent rescue was needed. Truck 3 quickly repositioned, placed a ladder to the second floor, and a firefighter climbed into the smoke-filled room, locating an unconscious victim near the hallway door. Working together, firefighters moved the victim to the window, where others from Truck 3 lowered them to safety at 9:04 a.m.
On the ground, crews immediately began critical medical care. With the patient in critical condition and an ambulance still a distance away, PF&R made the split-second decision to transport the victim in a rescue rig to Good Samaritan Hospital just blocks away. The patient was later transferred to a local burn unit for specialized treatment.
This swift, coordinated response by Engine 3 and Truck 3 saved a life and highlights the skill, bravery and rapid decision-making of Portland’s firefighters. As one PF&R member put it: “This is why we do what we do — to give folks a chance.”
Portland Fire & Rescue continues to remind the public of the importance of working smoke alarms, quick evacuation, and calling 911 immediately when a fire is suspected.