Fire Erupts Inside Canby Apartment

The Oregon Trail Chapter of the Red Cross was called to the scene to help the displaced tenants with their food, clothing, and shelter needs.

Fire Scene in Canby. View more pictures

(CANBY) - At approximately 8:50 AM Wednesday morning a fire erupted at 290 S Locust Street in Canby, the Forest Manor Apartments, an 8-plex townhouse.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke pouring from an upstairs window with both tenants standing outside the unit clearly in distress.

Occupant Kim Kelly, and her friend Doug were at home when the fire started.

"Doug was taking a shower and I was downstairs," stated Kelly. Doug sensed something wrong and exited the shower. "There was smoke in the hallway, and when I looked into the bedroom I could see fire burning on the bed."

The occupants were not alerted by smoke alarms because the upstairs smoke alarm had the battery removed and the downstairs smoke alarm was missing.

Firefighter's made quick business of containing the fire to the room of origin, which was the bedroom.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze they quick accessed the apartment for extension and assured the safety of neighboring tenants.

Both neighboring apartments were charged with smoke and were ventilated.

Fire Investigators have interviewed the tenants and processed the scene.

They have determined that the fire started in the upstairs bedroom.

They have yet to confirm the exact cause, however, they are looking at a space heater, candles, or smokers carelessness as possible causes, all which are coincidently leading causes for home fires.

The rest of the tenants of the Forest Manor Apartments will be able to remain in their respective units.

There are several safety messages that can be learned by this fire:

1. Space Heaters need space, provide at least 3 feet of clearance from portable heaters.
2. Candles should never be left unattended.
3. Smokers need to practice safe smoking, which means using proper ash trays, and never leaving a cigarette unattended.
4. Test Your Smoke Alarms -- if they don't work, THEY DON'T WORK!