Residents of the Orcadia Hotel watch as firefighters gain access to the building on the morning of
Dec. 30, after reports of a structure fire.
April Bamburg // Columbia County Buzz Examiner
ST. HELENS — Eighteen individuals are without homes after a fire at the Orcadia Hotel on Dec. 30. They will receive assistance with lodging and food from the American Red Cross for the rest of the week.
No injuries or smoke inhalation issues were reported.
Firefighters from St. Helens, Scappoose, Rainier, Columbia City and Clatskanie responded to the call at 9:41 a.m. Columbia River Fire and Rescue Chief Jay Tappan said that upon arrival, crews found smoke in the attic of the hotel building, located at 30 Cowlitz Street.
As firefighters put out the fire, they chopped into the roof of the building, and as a result, Tappan said the city has temporarily condemned the building. This means that residents, including owners Jim and Diane Bach, cannot stay in the hotel.
The Bachs will stay in a motor home with their three dogs and their cats, but other residents have accommodations at the Best Western Oak Meadows Motel in St. Helens for at least the next three days, courtesy of the American Red Cross.
American Red Cross sets up in council chambers
Some of those residents brought pets with them, cats in kennels, and dogs in their arms or on leashes, gathering at the St. Helens City Council’s chambers where the American Red Cross set up a service center to gather information from affected individuals. Men and women sat around the room with garbage bags containing their belongings as they waited for Red Cross volunteers to assist them, or for the Columbia County Rider bus to take them to Best Western.
The Red Cross assisted 18 people and numerous pets from 15 of the occupied rooms. Three families have not yet received assistance, but may still contact the Red Cross.
Michelle Anderson and Roy Brown lived in apartment 2 on the ground floor, next door to the Bachs. With the new year about to start, Anderson says that they, and the other residents are “freaking out.” She is worried that there may not be assistance available to the nearly two dozen individuals displaced.
“We need homes,” she said. “I already paid next month’s rent, I don’t have any money.”
On the morning of Dec. 30, Anderson said she and Brown were home, and that they were alerted as the Bachs knocked on residents’ doors and windows. “They about came through the window at us,” Anderson said. Other residents told similar stories of their notification, but were calm as they waited.
“It’s a bad situation for everybody,” Roy said. “The Red Cross has done a really good job of helping us out with food and shelter,” he said.
“We have set up lodging and [given these residents] a value card for food and clothing, because we know many of them got out with just the clothes on their backs,” said ARC Representative Rodney Rogers. “
Next week, the organization will reassess the situation to determine if they can assist with further assistance.
“We bridge the gap for other community organizations,” said American Red Cross Public Affairs representative Daphne Mathew.
Cause under investigation
Orcadia owner Jim Bach said that he believes an electrical fire started in the attic.
“I don’t think there is anything we could have done to prevent it,” Bach said. The structure is insured, and Bach is currently waiting for an engineer to give the go-ahead so that residents can return to pick up their belongings.
CRF&R Chief Jay Tappan said on the evening of Dec. 30, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Those interested in making a gift to support the work of the American Red Cross can do so here.
This story will be updated as further information becomes available. Look here for coverage of Columbia County news, events and issues.
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Comments
Nice article Amber, you did a good job of capturing the scene for readers. Thanks for supporting the American Red Cross!
Great reporting Amber. Very accurate. Thanks.
April! Great story!
April, sorry about getting your name wrong, nice follow up story.
April -
So... what has happened since then? Is Orcadia's management rebuilding? Is the Best Western still housing old residents? It'd be a shame if some of the people are without a place to go!
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