Red Cross volunteers respond to early-morning Clackamas apartment fire
  

The fire occurred at around 1:40 AM just north of Clackamas Town Center, with approximately 60 firefighters responding from Clackamas County Fire District #1, Portland Fire Bureau and Gladstone Fire Department. Clackamas County authorities alerted the Red Cross at around 2:15 AM.

Twelve apartments suffered varying degrees of damage. Initially, Red Cross volunteers assisted six families totaling 14 people with food, clothing, meals, temporary lodging, and medical and emotional support. A Red Cross team will return to the apartment complex later this morning to provide assistance to any affected residents whom they could not contact immediately following the fire.

This is the third large apartment fire to which the Oregon Trail Chapter has responded in the last 15 days. The other two, one in southeast Portland and one in Wilsonville, occurred just hours apart Jan. 12. Chapter volunteers also remain on alert to open and operate an evacuation shelter for residents of the Newell Creek Apartments in Oregon City. The nearly 250 residents of the complex have been at risk of evacuation since Jan. 13 due to continued shifting and erosion of the soils around the buildings caused by ongoing rain in the Portland area.

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Local Red Cross volunteers respond to residential fires and other disasters an average of every 32 hours. All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from Oregonians. Financial gifts help provide shelter, food, clothing counseling and other immediate assistance to those in need. Call (503) 284-1234 or visit www.redcross-pdx.org