FRUITLAND, Idaho — Crews from the Fruitland, Payette, Ontario, and New Plymouth Fire Departments responded to an apartment fire that broke out on Tuesday morning.
Officials on the scene confirmed that no injuries were reported, but one pet died in the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though officials from New Plymouth Fire said that the fire started in one unit before spreading to two more.
Three out of the complex's 12 apartment units were burned in the fire, however, the entire complex had to be evacuated, displacing over 30 people.
New Plymouth Fire Chief, Josey Wyatt said that his crews had a hard time with the fire as the structure features multiple roofs.
Rogelio Romero Gonzalez, who owns Frutas Locas and Tacos Locos, was running an errand when he received a call from his son Kenny alerting him to the fire.
Due to their restaurant's close proximity to the fire, Romero was forced to evacuate paying customers who were waiting for orders. For a while, firefighters were concerned that the propane tank next to Romero's restaurant could catch fire and pose an explosion risk. Thankfully, that fear never materialized.
Romero said that the smoke in his building has since cleared out, and he will honor those patrons who never received their orders due to the evacuation.
The Red Cross of Idaho and East Oregon said in a press release that they plan to open a shelter Tuesday evening at the Malheur County Fairgrounds for those displaced.
This is a developing story. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
