FIRE INVESTIGATORS COMPLETE INVESTIGATION INTO CAUSE OF THE PRIMETIME FIRE

The following information is from a media release that went out to local news outlets earlier today detailing the work that fire investigators completed to determine the cause of last week's fire at Primetime Sports Bar:

Fire investigators from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and two Insurance Companies spent Monday (11.28.11) morning sifting through the remains of the Primetime Sports Bar in Forest Grove after the popular local hang out had been destroyed by a fire just before 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday November 23, 2011. By surveying the damage to the building and it's contents and considering witness and firefighter statements from the night of the fire, investigators were able to trace the area where the fire started back to a laundry and utility room that is located just off the kitchen in the south east corner of the restaurant. Fire investigators believe that it is possible that rags with traces of cooking oil that were stored in this area are a probable cause of the fire, and the Insurance Company Investigators have taken samples of the burned rag debris to be evaluated by a forensic science lab. At this time fire investigators are considering this fire accidental and have been able to rule out any act of foul play in the cause of this devastating fire.

Fire Investigators believe that the fire started in this area, a utility and laundry room near the prep room behind the kitchen.

Early estimates place the total loss of property and contents at well over 1.5 million dollars. The fire went to three alarms bringing in over 60 firefighters from all over Washington County on November 23, 2011. Crews remained on scene until mid afternoon on the day of the fire, extinguishing hot spots and salvaging items from the building for the owners. At one point heavy equipment from the Public Works Departments of the Cities of Forest Grove and Cornelius were called in to remove part of the collapsed dining room area so fire crews could safely get to the heavy burning area around the kitchen. One Forest Grove firefighter was injured during the fire, suffering exhaustion type injuries, he was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released. At this point the Primetime Sports Bar is considered a total loss and the fire has displaced approximately 50 employees, a relief fund has been established at the Forest Grove Branch of the Columbia Community Bank for the restaurant's staff, as well as number of local fundraisers are in the works. Over the weekend the Forest Grove Firefighter's Association and the Cornelius Firefighter's Association, non profit groups made up of Volunteer and Union Firefighters to support community projects, pledged $1,000 from each association to support the relief fund as the holidays approach.

EARLY MORNING FIRE DESTROYS POPULAR PRIMETIME SPORTS BAR

Just before 4:00 on Wednesday (November 23, 2011) a passerby called 9-1-1 to report that smoke was coming from the Primetime Sports Bar in the 4200 block of Pacific Avenue. When firefighters arrived they initially did not see any flames, but found heavy black smoke inside the restaurant. Crews from Forest Grove and Cornelius quickly went to work to try and find where the fire was located but they soon discovered that the fire had already spread to the attic space and was burning throughout the structure that supports the roof of the building. At this point with an established fire burning so quickly inside the building, Incident Commanders made a tactical decision for firefighter safety to remove all crews from the building and fight this fire defensively from the outside. Within minutes flames began to show as the roof structure failed and our Incident Command Team requested a second and third alarm to bring in firefighters from every fire agency in Washington County in to control the massive blaze. Ladder trucks from Forest Grove and Hillsboro were set up to spray thousands of gallons of water per minute into the burning structure that had collapsed into the shell of the building and firefighters from different departments worked seamlessly side by side as they operated streams of water from hand held hoses and used power tools to tear into the building and extinguish the fire. Eventually Incident Commanders had to call in heavy equipment from the Public Works Departments of the cities of Forest Grove and Cornelius to pull apart the stubbornly burning debris from the dining area which had by that time collapsed in on itself so that crews could get close enough to the remaining hot spots to extinguish them. A firefighter from our Gales Creek Station was injured during the firefighting efforts, suffering chest pains, and was transported to Tuality Hospital in Hillsboro where he was treated and released showing signs of over-exertion.

As fire investigators worked to determine the cause of the devastating fire, firefighters worked to save what they could from the popular local hang out. Crews brought out memorabilia that had been autographed by sports legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Ken Griffey Jr., as well as historic photos of Forest Grove from the large banquet room that was considered the least damaged part of the building. Firefighters were also able to dig through the collapsed building to recover the safe which had the paychecks for the employees as well as the money from the business. A team of fire investigators from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, the Hillsboro Fire Department, and the Insurance Company that covered the business worked through out the day to narrow down what was responsible for the fire and have so far been able to confirm that the fire is accidental in nature but an official cause is not being released at this time.

Primetime Sports Bar has been an icon in the Forest Grove business scene for decades, not just for their great food, but their support of community projects. It's a popular place to catch a bite to eat while you enjoyed the big game, and with it being one of the largest restaurants in Forest Grove it always was one of the great places for big groups, and by the volume of comments on social media sites like Facebook you can tell that it's loss is strongly felt in our community. It's an ironic fact that because of Primetime's large seating areas, hours of operation, and quality of food that it was a frequent place where Forest Grove and Cornelius Firefighters would gather to grab a hot meal after working long hours on a fire somewhere in our community. With the holidays approaching our Fire Chaplains are working with the owners of Primetime to establish a list of needs for the families of the employees and a fund to assist has also been set up at the Columbia Community Bank in Forest Grove. Our thoughts are with the employees and owners of Primetime as they try and recover from this loss, we wish all of them the best.

PACIFIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WORKING TO IMPROVE FIREFIGHTER HEALTH AND SAFETY

For the last few months we have had the pleasure of working with an exceptional team of students from the Pacific University Exercise Science Department on a series of studies that we hope can lead to improvements for the health and safety of firefighters. It's often easy to think of the dangerous parts of being a firefighter involve rushing into burning buildings or rescuing victims trapped in perilous situations, but in all reality it's the little things that more often lead to injuries and death. That's why this unique year long study is taking a look at three different ways that firefighters can get hurt in the hopes that we can gain information to help prevent injuries and death from occuring in the future.

The first portion of this study focused on the heart rate of firefighters. Career firefighters at Forest Grove Fire & Rescue wore heart rhythm monitors during their 24 hours shift as well as their 48 hours off and kept a journal of what they were doing throughout the day. This was intended to take a look at what effects being on shift at the fire station has on the heart. The fire service has often wondered about the effects of a 24 hour shift on your body and how your heart reacts to being asleep during the night time and then having to wake up suddenly and be completely responsive for an emergency need.

The second portion of the study involved evaluating the exercises and work out regiments of the firefighters and finding ways to improve the methods to ensure that our firefighters are in tip top shape and ready when you need them. Each firefighter was evaluated and work was completed to develop a personalized work out plan that the firefighter could use to improve their well being.

C Shift Lieutenant Chris Woodford is on the balance evaluating machine while a Student from Pacific University assits him with his test.

Lastly, and perhaps most unique, is the study of how the protective equipment that a firefighter wears effects things like balance and range of motion. Firefighters were asked to put on their protective clothing and climb on board a special machine that put them through a grueling series of tests to determine how well they balanced and how easy it was for them to move in various directions. Based on these tests the students hoped to be able to provide information to protective clothing manufacturers to improve the ergonomics and comfort of firefighter gear all in an effort to prevent injuries caused by improperly fitted, designed, or worn protective clothing.

We want to especially thank our partners at Pacific University and the Hillsboro Fire Department for helping complete this study and working so hard to improve the safety and well being of firefighters. Hopefully information gained here can prevent an injury down the road and improve the fire service in the United States.

FRYING THE BIRD THIS THANKSGIVING?

The most glorious of food holidays is upon us and many of you will be filling your home with family and friends as you prepare that wonderful Thanksgiving feast. Some will be roasting your turkey, while others are enjoying the delicacy that is deep fried turkey. If you have never had deep fried turkey, it is an amazing way of quickly cooking your turkey into pure white or dark meat bliss, but it comes with a dangerous side as well.

According to our friends at the Underwriters Laboratories there are some consistent safety hazards with frying your Thanksgiving Turkey:

- Many units easily tip over, spilling the hot oil from the cooking pot.

- If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner or flames, causing a fire to engulf the entire unit.

- Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect. This too may result
in an extensive fire.

- With no thermostat controls, the units also have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion.

- The lid and handles on the sides of the cooking pot get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.

So that being said, what do you need to consider if you absolutely want to enjoy a fried turkey this Thursday?

- Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials.

- Never use turkey fryers in a garage or on a wooden deck.

- Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.

- Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.

- Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.

- To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.

- Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.

- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water do not mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.

- The National Turkey Federation (NTF) recommends thawing the turkey in the refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds in weight.

- Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is manageable, use your all-purpose fire extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for help.

Are you still not convinced that frying turkey is dangerous? Well we at Forest Grove Fire & Rescue spared no expense to improve your safety and brought in a special guest to help show you the dangers involved with frying turkey. Just kidding, we actually found this great video of William Shatner online and wanted to share it with you here. We wish you and yours a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Viewing Platform Heavily Damaged by Fire at Fern Hill Wetlands

Early Friday morning at approximately 6:30am, Forest Grove Firefighters were dispatched to a reported fire located at 1345 SW Fern Hill Road. This address is the location of the Fern Hill Wetlands, a very popular place for walkers, bird watchers, and photographers. Firefighters arrived to find a small viewing structure on fire approximately 400 yards from the main entrance. Firefighters had to use smaller brush vehicles to drive on the walking paths to access the fire. Using two brush rigs, it took only ten minutes to extinguish the fire. Damage was contained to the structure itself (which was destroyed) and did not spread to the surrounding wildlife area. Firefighters remained on scene for approximately an hour extinguishing hot spots.



The estimated loss is unknown at this time. Fire investigators spent several hours investigating the cause of the fire. Investigators have not determined the cause, but at this time it is considered suspicious. Forest Grove Fire & Rescue is working with Forest Grove Police Department on the investigation.

We ask that if you saw anyone or anything in the area of the Fern Hill Wetlands between 6am and 7am Friday morning, to please call one of the following numbers:

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue - 503-992-3240
Forest Grove Police Department - 503-992-3260
Washington County Non Emergency - 503-629-0111 (use after business hours)



Matt Johnston - Public Information Officer

FIRE DESTROYS GARAGE IN GALES CREEK

On Sunday evening two teenage boys in Gales Creek were inside the family home in the 54700 block of the NW Wilson River Highway when they noticed the lights in their room suddenly go dim. One of the boys went to investigate and looked out the window to find a fire burning in the detached garage about 20 feet away from their home. He yelled for his brother to call 9-1-1 and then immediately went out to try and get the family's pet chickens free from the coop that was attached to the backside of the garage. By this time the entire structure was burning and fire was coming out the open front of the carport style garage building.

Investigators spent Monday afternoon digging through the remains of the garage, trying to determine the cause of the Sunday evening fire.

Volunteer firefighters from Forest Grove Fire & Rescues nearby Gales Creek Fire Station responded, as did crews from the Forest Grove Station, and the neighboring Banks Fire District #13 Station but the fast moving fire destroyed the garage before the fire engines could get there. Even though the vinyl siding was melted, firefighters were able to keep the fire from damaging the structure of the family home; the fire also melted the front ends of two cars parked in the driveway and burned the exterior wall of a nearby shed that one of the brothers had used as a practice building for his band. All told approximately 20 firefighters worked for just over an hour to contain the fire to the garage and get it under control so that it would not spread to the other structures nearby. The Wilson River Highway was closed during the firefighting efforts so engines and water tenders could maneuver in the roadway safely.

The heat fromt he burning garage was so intense that it melted the vinyl siding of the home over 20 feet away

Fire Investigators from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue are still working to determine the cause of the fire, but the garage and it's contents are considered a total loss with estimates of damages approaching $40,000. No one was injured by the blaze, however the family did lose two of their pet chickens that perished in the fire.

ARE YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS READY IF YOU NEED THEM?

A resident of Forest Grove's Historic Old Town can call herself pretty fortunate this afternoon, all things considered of course, as she was luckily able to control a fire on her stove top and keep it from engulfing the rest of the kitchen. The women was cleaning the kitchen of the home in the 2100 block of 16th Avenue earlier today when she apparently bumped the dial on the electric range, turning on one of the stove's burners. Just before 2:30 pm she began to smell smoke and discovered that a pan of cooking oil that had been on the stove top had caught fire, she quickly grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and squeezed the trigger and nothing happened. She ran to grab a second fire extinguisher and again squeezed the trigger and again nothing happened, both fire extinguishers were dead and not able to function. She poured a box of bulk table salt onto the flames and then grabbed the pan lid and was finally able to get the fire out.

When firefighters arrived they found light smoke coming from the open front door and that the smoke had filled up the first floor of the two story home. Crews went in to make sure the fire was out and found that the damage was confined to the cook top and the stairs and walls that were on both sides of the electric range. Fire Investigators believe that the actual damage to the home is less than $3,000 and mostly from the smoke damage, but it could have been much worse. Please take a second and find the fire extinguishers in your home. Make sure they are inspected regularly and that the gauge shows that they are charged. If it's an older extinguisher you should replace it, and if you don't have a fire extinguisher now would be a good time to invest in one. Home remedies like salt and baking soda may work to extinguish a fire sometimes, but they'll never beat a tight fitting lid and a good ABC rated fire extinguisher. The key is that the fire extinguishers must be ready to work when you need them to.


If you do encounter a fire on the cook top follow these simple steps. Use an oven mitt to slide a tight fitting lid on top of the pan that is on fire. Never use water on a grease fire, or try and carry a burning pan from the cook top. If the fire is bigger than the pan you could try and quickly use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, but don't risk your personal safety to do so. Turn off the burner if you can, and execute your family fire escape plan. Call 9-1-1 from a safe location outside the home and let firefighters make sure that the fire is out. Make sure that everyone in your family who cooks knows how to do it safely!

Busy November Monday

Today so far has been above normal for the Forest Grove Firefighters on ‘A’ Shift, not only have they ran 11 calls so for their shift (average is 7 for the entire shift) but of those 11, two have been out of the ordinary. The first of those two was dispatched shortly after 2pm; it was reported that up to five people were feeling light headed and dizzy at Knight Hall on the campus of Pacific University. Those employees working in the building were thinking it was possibly carbon monoxide poisoning. With that possibility, one crew was sent into the building to check the air for poisonous gases and a second crew was sent to triage and evaluate the possible patients that had complaints of being light headed and dizzy. The crew that went into the structure found no dangerous gases present and crews evaluating the patients found no symptoms serious enough to require transport to the hospital. Without finding any evidence of carbon monoxide, it is unsure whether or not that caused the symptoms, or if something else in the building caused the symptoms. Regardless, this is great reminder that if you have anything that burns wood, natural gas or fuel oil in your residence that you should install a carbon monoxide detector. If you have multiple floors to your house, it is recommended that a detector be placed on each floor. They generally cost around $10 to $50 and are found at your local hardware or variety store.

The second call that was uncommon came in around 3:30pm and was initially dispatched as an Industrial Accident in the community of Dilley. At first it wasn’t clear exactly where the incident location was or exactly what the injuries were due to a language barrier between the caller and dispatchers. It was determined that there had been a vehicle accident involving a work vehicle at the Montinore Estates Vineyard located at 3663 SW Dilley Road. At first it was reported that someone was trapped under a vehicle that had rolled over, due to this information, firefighters activated Lifeflight to respond to the scene. When crews arrived on scene they found only one patient and they were no longer trapped under the vehicle. Like the dispatchers, firefighters found a language barrier on scene and had a hard time finding out exactly what occurred and what the extent of the injuries were to the patient. Firefighters stabilized the patient and transported them by Lifeflight helicopter to the trauma center at Emanuel Hospital in Portland.

FALL BACK THIS WEEKEND AND CHECK YOUR SMOKE ALARM

For years we have heard that when you change your clocks you also need to change your smoke alarm battery. The catchy message "Change your clock - change your smoke alarm battery" has been one of the most effective public education campaigns that the fire service has ever came up with. Yet since 1998 it hasn't really matched what we do here in Oregon. In 1998 Oregon State law has required that all ionization type smoke alarms that receive their power from a battery are to have a battery that is capable of powering your smoke alarm for ten years without being replaced. Smoke alarm manufacturers have worked to make their devices compliant with the Oregon law and have designed smoke alarms that are meant to work only with these long life batteries that are typically a lithium power cell. If you replace these long life batteries with the standard, and often cheaper, alkaline battery you actually void the warranty of the smoke alarm and it may not function as it was intended to work. This is obviously a potentially dangerous situation for your family, so what we are suggesting this year is that when you set your clocks back one hour that you also check your smoke alarm to make sure that it works. This is usually a simple process where you find the test button on the alarm and push it until you hear the "beeping" sound that signals you that the alarm is working like it's supposed to.

This should work for most smoke alarms in Oregon that receive their power from a battery. Notice that we said most, there are a few exceptions to this however. First is that if the smoke alarm is hard wired into the building it is not required to have a long life battery as a back up power source and a standard alkaline battery will suffice; it is a good idea however to replace this back up battery twice a year when you change your clock. The second situation would be if your battery operated smoke alarm is not an ionization type; ionization is a term used to describe how your smoke alarm will detect smoke and there are usually two types - one being ionization and the other being photo electric. A photo electric type of smoke alarm typically will receive power from a lithium type power cell and will drain the charge from an alkaline battery rather quickly. The smoke alarm will say somewhere either on the face of the alarm, or on a label inside, if it is a photo electric or an ionization type.

So are you confused yet? It basically boils down to asking yourself a few questions?

1. Is your smoke alarm over ten years old? If it is, replace it, regardless of the type of smoke alarm.

2. Do you have an ionization type smoke alarm that is battery operated? If so then you shouldn't need to make any changes to the alarm, just test it to make sure that the alarm works by using the test button. Never use a candle, match, or other burning material to test the alarm.

3. Do you have a smoke alarm that is hard wired to your home's electrical power? If you do, replace the back up battery with a new battery.

It's always a good idea to have a family fire drill when you test your smoke alarm. Make sure the kids know what the sound of the smoke alarm in your home is and that it's not something they should be afraid of. Everyone should practice two ways out of their home and finding their safe family meeting place outside the home and always reinforce that once we escape a fire that we never go back into the home for anything.