A 2-alarm fire caused by a "smoker's carelessness" damaged three units in a Southwest Portland Apartment building and displaced eight people Saturday morning, officials said.
Portland Fire and Rescue first reported the blaze around 7 a.m. with multiple crews responding to an apartment complex on the 5000 block of Beaverton Hillsdale Highway. About 20 minutes later, firefighters called for a second alarm as the fire grew.
Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control by about 7:45 a.m. and no injuries were reported, though seven adults and one teenager were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross would be assisting the victims to find shelter, Portland Fire and Rescue reported on Twitter. Eastbound lanes of Beaverton Hillsdale Highway reopened by 9 a.m., but westbound lanes remained closed between 45th Avenue and Shattuck Road and weren't expected to reopen until around 10 a.m.
Investigators believe the fire was caused by when a lit cigarette was discarded on a deck.