Early-morning fire heavily damages downtown Madras tavern; apartments evacuated; cause sought
MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of a fire early Sunday morning that heavily damaged a downtown Madras bar and prompted evacuation of adjacent apartments, authorities said.
Jefferson County Fire & EMS crews responded around 3:40 a.m. to the fire reported in the unoccupied Rialto Tavern on SW D Street, Fire Chief Jeffrey Blake said. They arrived to find an active fire with heavy smoke in the back portion of the bar. Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and Madras police helped evacuate the nearby apartments.
“The fire was in the attic when the fire department arrived,” Blake said in a news release, adding that its forward “progress was stopped shortly after arrival. Salvage and overhaul operations were extensive."
The fire was held to the building of origin, which was heavily damaged by smoke and fire, but Blake said other buildings also sustained smoke damage. There were no injuries reported.
Losses are estimated at $200,000 to the building and $150,000 in contents.
A total of seven staff firefighters and five volunteers responded to the blaze. Mutual aid assistance also was provided by Redmond Fire & Rescue, Pacific Power, ODOT, Cascade Natural Gas and Warm Springs Fire & Safety.
