Crews battle 5-alarm fire at vacant Portland hotel

PORTLAND, Ore. – Firefighters battled a 5-alarm fire at a vacant hotel on Hayden Island in Portland, Ore., early Sunday morning.

Crews responded to the fire just before 3 a.m., firefighters said. By 4:30 a.m., the fire had grown to five alarms.

No one was hurt. The building was formerly a Red Lion hotel and had been vacant for several years, according to Portland Fire and Rescue spokesman Michael Silva.

The complex was used for storage. The old furniture and mattresses inside added significant fuel to the fire.

With each additional alarm, more resources were called to the scene to fight the fire.

"Not in the last 3 or 4 years have I seen a fire go to a fifth alarm," said Silva.

In addition to at least 25 fire engines and trucks that responded, fire boats attacked the massive fire from the Columbia River.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said they had to close the Interstate 5 Bridge temporarily because chucks of burning debris were landing on the road.

The fire was declared under control by 7 a.m., Silva said.

It's unclear how the fire started.

"We have several fire investigators on scene," said Silva. "This could go into tomorrow."