800 feet of hose aids in putting out Elk Rock Island fire
No injuries were reported as Clackamas
firefighters put out brush fires that popped up Tuesday in transient encampments on Milwaukie's Elk Rock Island.
Clackamas Fire trucks and crews were called to the area about 11:40 a.m. Sept. 1. Firefighters parked at 19th Avenue, and since they could not drive down to the island, they used the unimproved road right-of-way at Bobwhite Street to get to the water.
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It's hot and dry, and access was an issue, so we ended up calling in additional resources and boats outfitted with water pumps," said Clackamas Fire spokesman Brandon Paxton.
Firefighters used a ladder to cross the stream to get to the island. They used chain saws, water jugs and about 800 feet of hose to fully extinguish the blaze. They wrapped up their firefighting activities around 1:30 p.m.
Paxton said the "long stretch" hose is just as useful for wrapping around apartment buildings as it is for brush fires. He added that Clackamas Fire's Boat 319 and Boat 212 from Lake Oswego Fire were used at the Elk Rock Island fire.
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