Ombudsman releases scathing report on Portland Fire & Rescue

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Five months after a KOIN 6 News investigation, the Portland Ombudsman's Office called out Portland Fire & Rescue for fire safety issues at a relatively new Habitat for Humanity complex.

The Ombudsman's Office initially spoke to KOIN 6 News about their investigation in the days after the KOIN 6 News investigation detailed the issues in late December 2024.

The Cherry Blossom Townhomes near Mall 205 in Portland were approved at the last minute despite fire inspector warnings about code violations and without a required appeals process, the Ombudsman's report determined.

Potential fire access issues

Deputy Ombudsman Tony Green told KOIN 6 News his biggest concern is missing fire lane signs and rampant parking that blocks fire truck access.

"I am surprised that the Fire Bureau isn't acknowledging the problems with the parking," Green said. "And the other problem that they're not acknowledging is that the ground ladders do not meet best practices with the height of the building, and so they need to have an aerial access in there."

He said the buildings may exceed the height (30 feet) that requires a 26-foot-wide access road or an automatic sprinkler system, neither of which was implemented.

Firefighters determined that some of the buildings were too tall to follow best practices for ground ladders, the memo stated.

Parking on the access road and sidewalks narrows the available width to 17 feet, he said, obstructing space needed for aerial ladder trucks to fully deploy stabilizing braces.

Turnaround requirement possibly overlooked

The investigation stated the dead-end access road may exceed 300 feet in length, which could require a turnaround under local interpretations of the Fire Code.

PF&R accepted a “Y” shaped fork as a substitute, but again, the ombudsman found no written record that explains this decision.

Inconsistent and delayed communication

A homeowner raised safety concerns in Oct. 2023 then again in July 2024, but the investigation found PF&R took months to respond, offered conflicting information, and failed to follow through on promised communications.

Homeowners received mixed messages about whether parking changes were needed and never received the formal guidance they were promised, Green said.

"I don't feel safe at all, but I feel less safe than ever because the fire department, it's their job and their duty to keep us safe, and they failed to do that," said homeowner Lacey Sutton.

Even after being alerted to his findings, Green told KOIN 6 News, fire officials remain in denial.

"That was disappointing that they, at least at this point, have not acknowledged the problems and have not embraced a leadership role in determining and helping this place move towards the safest possible arrangement," Green said.

In his memo released early Wednesday, Green recommends:

• PF&R provide written documentation explaining how firefighters can respond safely to emergencies at the site
• Give written recommendations on parking restrictions and any needed safety improvements
• Hold a public meeting to allow residents to ask questions and receive direct answers from fire officials.

"What I had hoped to accomplish was for the Fire Bureau to take some responsibility for the situation and help guide the homeowners association," Green said.

In response, Portland Fire Marshal Kari Schimel said PF&R is committed to holding a meeting to answer homeowners questions and concerns.

KOIN 6 News will have more information later in the day, including homeowners, officials from Habitat for Humanity and Portland Fire & Rescue.