Neighbors: Break-ins, transients common at hotel destroyed by fire
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PORTLAND, Ore. - A problem with people trespassing onto the property of a vacant North Portland hotel that was destroyed by fire over the weekend has been going on for years, according to people who live in the area.
The inferno at the Thunderbird Hotel on Hayden Island could be seen for miles early Sunday morning. The hotel has been sitting empty for seven years and in recent years it's been up for sale. Investigators are still waiting to be allowed to go through the rubble. They have to wait for firefighters to put out hot spots.
Carla Heikkila lives nearby and watched as crews fought the fire. But for some time neighbors have fought a different battle surrounding that property.
"(There have been) transients and young kids partying and stuff over there," Heikkila said Monday, adding there has been smoking and drinking as well.
A fence does surround the property but it ends just before the river. At that spot there is a little path that people in the area say transients use to break-in.
Additionally, a formal complaint was filed with the city three weeks ago, stating people were "cutting wire" to get in.
"The transients are in and out of there all the time. We see that quite a bit," said Herman Kachold, who can see the fence from his home.
Property management for the Thunderbird Hotel and adjacent, operating Red Lion, said they asked police to make more arrests and have been aware of the problem.
"The police have made some arrests here in past months, trying to crack down on it," Kachold said.
A security guard is supposed to be patrolling the property as well – every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day as required by the fire marshal after the sprinkler system in the hotel was shut off.
A guard outside the Red Lion declined to answer questions and referred a KATU News reporter back to the general manager who admitted a guard on duty Sunday was at the Red Lion when the fire started.
Fire officials said they feel confident no one was hurt inside the destroyed hotel, although they haven't gone through all the rubble yet.
A cause for the fire is still unknown. Investigators will be at the location into the night and tomorrow trying to figure that out.
KATU News asked for a copy of the latest inspection of the Thunderbird, but it is not being released because of the ongoing investigation into what started the fire. What is known, however, is that in the last couple of years, the owners turned off the sprinkler system, which means they were required to have that 24-hour security.
Portland fire inspector Ron Rouse said one of the questions inspectors will be looking at is why the sprinkler system was allowed to be shut off in such a large wood-framed building full of furniture.
Four of the hotel's five wings collapsed, and it is estimated the blaze caused about $5 million in damage.
Such a shame. Just saw that the owners owed $1.1 million in taxes on the place as well. Too bad such a beautiful building had to go. To see more recent photos of the hotel go to: http://www.wicksakit.com/Other/Thunderbird-Hotel-Portland/23348994_bhv7g9#!i=1884994068&k=zbMpNzk
Portland fire inspector Ron Rouse said one of the questions inspectors will be looking at is why the sprinkler system was allowed to be shut off in such a large wood-framed building full of furniture.??
Umm because the fire insurance had just been doubled ??
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I saw it this morning when I had to be in down in portland, I worked in portland for 31 years 1971 to 2002 and passed it everyday on my way from and back to home in La Center, I always sighted it when I crossed the bridge to home. I always thought it was a beautiful hotel and ate there many times thru the years, Now it looks so ugly!
I am relatively familiar with the property and I do not believe that the five extending guetst wings had a fire sprinkler system installed when it was built in 1971.  A PF&B annual inspection in the early 1980's discovered that an unpermitted remodel to the main building/public space had been made in the late 1970's/early 1980's and that required fire suppression upgrades were not made. The operators at the time were resistant to the required improvement and the State Fire Marshal's office was called by PF&B to review the original 1971 construction of the facility with intent of requiring that the entire property be brought up to code.
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An agreement was reached whereby the remodeled public areas would be brought up to code and the rest of the facility would not be subjected to any further scrutiny . . .
When I saw the story when it burned, I wondered if the firefighters would be finding any dead people in there. Â It was 2-3am, abandoned, and it caught fire...why?I wouldn't be surprised if they find a deceased person as the rubble is taken away.