Back-to-Back Fires Keep Medford Fire Crews Busy

Medford, Oregon– Medford Fire Department (MFD) crews faced a demanding evening on July 12th as they responded to two consecutive fires.

The first incident was reported at 6:03 PM as a grass fire along the fence line separating two restaurants from the railroad corridor on the 1200 block of S. Riverside Ave. As crews were en route, the call was upgraded to a structure response due to reports of flames visible over the roofline of one of the buildings. Firefighters arrived promptly and swiftly contained and extinguished the fire, allowing additional responding units to cancel after confirming the building was not involved.

Fire investigators determined that the fire was most likely caused by the improper discarding of smoking materials into dry, ember-receptive materials, which quickly spread into evergreen trees along the fence.

The Medford Police Department is collaborating with local business owners to identify any potential suspects responsible for the incident.

Just an hour later, at approximately 7:03 PM, a second fire was reported as smoke coming from the attic of a residence on Kenwood Drive. Crews arrived on scene and quickly located and extinguished a small fire in the attic.

Utilizing effective firefighting tactics, the fire was subdued with a water extinguisher and minimal water, reducing the smoke, fire, and water damage to the residence. The minimal smoke that migrated down from the attic was ventilated, and the resident’s pet cat was located and confirmed to be unharmed.

The fire investigation revealed that the fire was caused by an electrical cable failure in the attic, exacerbated by recent prolonged high temperatures and heavy, continual loading of aged conductors.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported from either fire. After electrical repairs are completed, the resident will be able to return home without any further restoration or repair necessary.