(Photos: Marion County Fire Rescue)
Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR) firefighters were jolted awake early Tuesday morning with reports of a roaring commercial structure fire in Umatilla. At 5:26 a.m., crews raced to the 24000 block of Southeast Highway 42, where a 5,000-square-foot barn was already a fiery spectacle, reported as “fully involved” by multiple 911 callers.
South Marion Station #6 was first on the scene at 5:34 a.m., finding the building half-consumed by flames and no shortage of drama — propane tanks peppered the site, prompting a defensive firefight and a few explosive exclamation points for good measure. Command quickly called for backup, and the cavalry arrived in force: units from Lynne, Weirsdale, the Villages of Marion, Spruce Creek, Shady, Friendship, and Belleview.
With 32 firefighters and seven suppression units on deck, crews aggressively attacked the inferno while tankers hustled to establish water supply operations.
The fire was brought under control by 7:31 a.m., though firefighters stuck around for an extensive overhaul to make sure every last ember was snuffed out.
Despite the intensity — and a few explosions for added flair — no injuries were reported among civilians or firefighters. The cause and origin of the blaze remain under investigation, but for now, MCFR can chalk up another early-morning save in the battle against the burn.
