Crews rescue person from basement on fire in Montavilla neighborhood home

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Fire crews have gotten a fire under control in Portland's Montavilla Neighborhood after it caused a black column of smoke to billow into the air Tuesday morning.

The fire located at 8317 SE Morrison St. grew to a second alarm around 11 a.m. Officials on the scene say it was an "outside fire spreading to a single family residence with a potential of a rescue in the basement."

The person was reportedly out of the basement within 20 minutes.

The woman was trapped inside the bathroom of the basement with her dog and was able to reach emergency responders over the phone prior to the rescue, Portland Fire and Rescue said. When a firefighter located her, they found a path to the stairs and made a quick exit while she was holding onto her dog in her arms.

No injuries have been reported for any of the occupants or firefighters, PF&R said. However, officials said one cat died and six people were displaced.

Within about 5-10 minutes after the woman was rescued, PF&F said "much of the fire had been cooled or extinguished by crews," though efforts continued to put out hot spots.

It was a Portland police officer who initially put the 911 call in, because he was driving around on his motorcycle and saw the smoke. He was first on the scene.

"I was in the right place at the right time," he said. “When I went into the house, it was not survivable without oxygen."

PF&R thanked the PPB motorcycle officer for entering the building "without any personal protective clothing or respiratory protection in the attempt at making a rescue of a trapped occupant."

Firefighters are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.