ONTARIO, Oregon — Investigations are underway, as one person is dead following a fire involving multiple RVs, trailers and a home near Ontario on Wednesday morning.
Ontario Fire & Rescue says their units were dispatched around 8:15 a.m. to 22nd Avenue, which is outside city limits and lacks fire hydrants.
When crews arrived, Ontario Fire & Rescue says two RVs and a utility trailer were fully involved in flames, while another RV and a single-family residence were partially involved with flames.
Several explosions also happened because of propane bottles in the area.
"There's several RVs that burned, I think at least two RVs and then a camp trailer and then that house. The individual that was deceased was found in this camp trailer or this RV right behind me," says Malheur County Sheriff Travis Johnson.
Johnson says the area is known locally as "The Flats" or "Fentanyl Flats."
"We found gas lines that had been plumbed in with garden hoses running out of this house to campers. There was a number of those gas lines running out to different campers, just through a garden hose."
Johnson explained that the area has a long-standing issue with drug users and homeless encampments where multiple people stay in RVs and trailers in unsafe conditions.
"There's all kinds of situations, you know, we have codes and building codes and regulations and rules for a reason — because it keeps us safe, and when you don't follow those, unfortunately you're more apt to have a situation like we had today," says Johnson.
These types of encampments are illegal in Malheur County, but this one was on private property.
He estimates that more than 20 people were living on the property at the time of the fire.
"There were a number of people here this morning when the fire broke out," he said.
This style of encampment is particularly difficult for first responders to navigate in situations like a large fire.
"There is no way to get in, no entry, no exit for our fire equipment to get in close, and for law enforcement. They often times don't want us around," added Johnson.
Ontario Fire & Rescue says Payette, Vale, Fruitland and Parma all assisted at the scene.
Malheur County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation, with the help of Oregon State Police and the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office.
No first responders were hurt.
