Investigators are still trying to confirm the identity of a man killed last week in a fire at a homeless encampment near Ontario.
The man died in a recreational vehicle that caught fire on Wednesday, April 23.
The fire destroyed three RVs and heavily damaged a home on Northwest 22nd Street, in an area known as the Flats, on the western edge of Ontario.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Department is investigating the cause.
The Flats has long been the scene of a mix of travel trailers, motor homes and tents serving as home for the unhoused on private property. As many as 30 people were living in the stretch of informal houses at the time of the fire. They live without running water, often staying warm with portable propane heaters.
The fire was reported just after 8 a.m. and eventually drew fire crews from Ontario, Vale, Fruitland and Parma.
“This incident posed some serious challenges for first responders, especially within the first 10-15 minutes,” according to Clint Benson, Ontario Fire & Rescue chief. “There were multiple propane bottle explosions, conflicting information regarding occupants and animals trapped in the residence, and limited initial resources to accomplish high risk rescue operations.”
He said no one was in the house at the time it caught fire.
“Other challenges at the site were water supply (fire hydrant several blocks away), generators that had been modified and difficult to turn off, and biohazards, such as buckets of human waste and drug paraphernalia,” Benson said.
County records show the 900-square-foot home, built in 1940, is owned by Debra Pelayo. Authorities said she has lived in the house for several years. After the fire, county officials declared the house uninhabitable.
The house is bracketed by empty lots owned by others. They are strewn with broken-down RVs and garbage.
Workers from Lifeways and Community in Action worked in the days after the fire to provide basic supplies for those living along the street while they considered new living arrangements.
Lifeways workers who have been serving people in the Flats for years responded to provide “crisis support and emotional care. Our hearts go out to everyone impacted,” said a statement from Steve Jensen, Lifeways CEO.
“Our work in the Flats isn’t just about providing services,” he said. “It’s about building relationships, meeting people where they are, and walking beside them every step of the way,” he said. “We’ve been part of this community for years, and we remain deeply committed to supporting recovery, hope, and healing, especially during times of tragedy.”
Benson said emergency workers have been affected by the fatal fire.
“When human life, and even animal life, is lost, I think we all struggle with the question of ‘what could we have done better to change the outcome for that person?’ We take it personally and own a sense of responsibility for the safety of our community,” he said.
