Portland Fire & Rescue crews were sent to the burning house around 5 a.m. near Southeast 30th Place and Southeast Stark Street. They quickly determined conditions were too dangerous for an interior attack, shifting to a defensive strategy as flames intensified.

“Too much fire to make entry,” the agency said in an initial update on social media.

Authorities requested a second-alarm as the fire grew, bringing in more resources to contain the blaze. Nearby homes were being evacuated as a precaution. The initial home was vacant, according to officials.

By roughly 5:30 a.m. the flames were mostly extinguished and the home appeared to be completely destroyed.

Jack Chandler and his two daughters live above his coffee shop nearby. He says they woke up to a phone call from a neighbor telling them the house across the street was on fire.

Chandler says he’s thankful the fire didn’t spread to other houses, and that his livelihood is still intact.

“I took on a three-and-a-half-year renovation project and saved this building from demolition and so I put my heart and soul into it, and it just scared me because this is my family home,” Chandler said.

Portland Fire said the flames were so hot that they burned three firefighters through their protective gear and damaged a few engines. Firefighters also faced hazards from downed power lines.

At one point, a third of PFR’s on-duty resources were assigned to the incident.

Portland Fire says a ruptured gas line underneath the front porch helped fuel the fire, but it’s unclear if that’s what started it. A spokesperson said the investigation into the fire will take time.

Portland Fire said the firefighters who suffered burns were treated at the hospital then released. They are expected to be back at work soon.