MALHEUR COUNTY, Ore. — A severe thunderstorm that swept through Ontario on July 26 left one person injured and caused a residential fire, keeping emergency crews busy with multiple incidents.
Ontario Fire & Rescue says they responded to two serious incidents within minutes of each other as the storm intensified around 8 p.m. on Saturday.
At 7:51 p.m., first responders rushed to the 300 block of NW 4th Street where a tree had fallen on a person. Ontario Fire & Rescue, Ontario Police Department, and Treasure Valley Paramedics worked together at the scene, providing medical aid before transporting the injured person to the hospital.
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Just four minutes later, at 7:55 p.m., crews were dispatched to the 800 block of SW 3rd Street for a residential fire combined with a downed tree. The fire department says it had anticipated storm-related emergencies and had extra staff on duty, allowing them to respond with two fire engines and a command vehicle.
When they arrived, emergency crews found a detached garage and fence on fire with live power lines down in the backyard. Police officers evacuated nearby residents while firefighters worked to extinguish the flames.
The incident damaged electrical service lines to two homes. No injuries were reported at the fire scene.
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