Firefighters save Umatilla pallet factory after storage bins catch fire

UMATILLA — Firefighters contained a commercial structure fire yesterday (Friday) that threatened a pallet manufacturing building near the intersection of Highway 395 and Highway 730, officials said. No injuries were reported.

The Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District responded to the scene and discovered two large pallet storage bins fully engulfed in flames immediately adjacent to the manufacturing facility. Fire officials estimated that flames reached 15 to 20 feet high and were actively impinging on the building’s exterior.

Crews quickly deployed attack lines to extinguish the exterior fire before forcing entry into the building. Upon determining that the fire had extended inside, firefighters launched an aggressive interior attack to halt further spread.

Recognizing the potential for significant property loss given the commercial nature of the facility, Umatilla Fire requested additional mutual aid resources. Personnel from the Irrigon Fire District, Boardman Fire Rescue, and Umatilla County Fire District No. 1 joined the coordinated response.

The aggressive firefighting efforts successfully contained the blaze, saving the majority of the commercial building and the contents inside.

Investigators have determined the origin and cause of the fire, and officials confirmed the investigation is now complete. Neither civilians nor responding firefighters sustained injuries during the incident.

Photo courtesy Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District

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