Bedridden woman dies in SE Portland fire
PORTLAND, Ore. - A woman who was confined to her bed died when a fire broke out Friday morning at an apartment complex in Southeast Portland.
"Our hearts go out to the family and friends who have lost their loved one," Erin Janssens, Fire Chief for Portland Fire & Rescue, said in a news release. "Despite our efforts to prevent fires and keep our community safe, fire remains a very real threat. This is a tragic loss."
The fire happened around 8:30 a.m. at the Anderson Villa apartments in the 15000 block of Southeast Division Street.
When firefighters arrived there was heavy black smoke and fire showing in a stairwell. The building did have working smoke alarms but the flames spread quickly, trapping three people inside. Two were rescued but a third did not make it.
The victim was 57-year-old Berna Dizer, who was bedridden with Lou Gehrig's disease and on oxygen. She lived with her sister and nephew, both of whom were rescued. Dizer's sister, Rita, ended up with some burns but was expected to be fine.
"I was shaking," said Ayanna Hamilton, a friend. "I seen the apartments and I knew where she stayed and it was scary."
The American Red Cross was on the scene helping residents displaced by the fire. Four apartments were affected, leaving 10 people without a place to live. Damages are estimated at around $190,000.
As far as what sparked the fire, witnesses said they heard an explosion when the blaze started but fire investigators have not yet determined a cause. Family members said the fire started in the livingroom where Dizer kept her oxygen tank.
Fire Safety Tips from Portland Fire & Rescue
- Make sure you have a working smoke alarm in every sleeping area and on every level. Replace them every 10 years.
- Know another route - make sure you have a secondary way to get out.
- Once you are out, do not go back inside.
- Make sure your family has a central spot to meet outside of the home. That way you will know if anyone is still inside and you can tell firefighters who needs to be rescued.
This is very sad. My condolences to the family. People with ALS live in fear of an event just like this happening.Â
I have a close pal with ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease) and I just want to put in a word for the Oregon-SW Washington ALS Association Chapter which can really use support! There is a walk-a-thon every year but there is still the need for other help. Please at least check it out: http://webor.alsa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=OR_homepage
How very sad. Rest in Peace, Berna.
Oh wow, how terrible for something to occur like that when you are physically unable to remove yourself from the scene. I truly hope it was a quick death for her, although I imagine it wasn't. My heart breaks for the way she passed.
Poor thing! I guess the only good thing about being bed ridden is that it was easy for God to find her and take away her pain. I only hope she went fast.
How very very tragic.
There needs to be a full investigation. I know for a fact that the smoke detectors were not working last year in some apartments. And odd are you had a meth lab fire. Anderson Villa is one of the biggest dope spots in SE portland. Sorry someone died put I hope they bulldoze that place to the ground.
 @Brendan MichaelsÂ
It is the landlords responsibility to make sure that when the apartment is rented that there working smoke detectors. Once the place is rented it is the renters responsibility to make sure that they continue to work.
Â
In this case it is pretty clear that they were working.
Â
As for an investigation that will happen. All fires that cause damage are investigated and that is even more important when someone dies.
Â
Most of the apartment complexes on Division are problem rentals. Most are at the end of their life cycle and the landlords do very little to fix them up. They keep the money and know that soon they will be declared uninhabitable and will have to be torn down.
I don't want to sound callous, but at least she won't be suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease any longer.
 @pdxd True, but dying in a fire is a horrible way to go. Hopefully she died of smoke inhalation in her sleep & never awoke.
I drove by at about 8:20 and stopped to see what was happening because of the huge column of thick dark smoke pouring into the air. By the time the fire trucks got there, black smoke was boiling out of the two front windows of the lower apartment, and giant columns of flame shot out the back of the apartment. I can't imagine that they were able to put it out without significant damage to the neighboring apartments.