Devastating Fire Rips Through the Portland Mercado

Portland Fire & Rescue was dispatched to the market at 5:37 am after receiving calls from residents who reported hearing fire and explosions.

Portland Mercado fire (Greg Muhr, courtesy of Portland Fire & Rescue)
By Bennett Campbell Ferguson

The Portland Mercado is closed due to a devastating fire that occurred Wednesday morning, significantly damaging the collective of startups on Southeast Foster Road that make up the first Latino public market in Portland. No injuries have been reported.

Portland Fire & Rescue was dispatched to the market at 5:37 am after receiving calls from residents who reported hearing fire and explosions, according to the bureau.

By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, the 6,900-square-foot structure was filled with smoke. Portland Fire & Rescue said the fire was contained after firefighters closed down Foster Road to access a fire hydrant across the street. But the wine bar Barrio, where the fire originated, was destroyed by the blaze (a GoFundMe page has been established to support Barrio owner Chris Shimamoto).

Portland Mercado fire (Greg Muhr, courtesy of Portland Fire & Rescue)

Roof ventilation crews also discovered a second fire ravaging the “void spaces” in the building’s ceiling, trapped by layers of plywood and metal sheeting. Crews reached the second blaze by sawing holes, extinguishing the fires before 7 am.

All businesses in the Portland Mercado are currently closed. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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