On Saturday September 16, 2023, EPA received notification from the Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality (ODEQ) that a building known to have asbestos in
sheetrock and roofing material caught fire early that morning in Happy
Valley, Clackamas County, Oregon. As of Saturday morning, the Clackamas County
Fire Department was attempting to extinguish the blaze, while part of the
building had collapsed. By 1330, the fire was extinguished. Residents in two apartment buildings south of the fire had been evacuated due to concerns about
high particulate matter, while other residents within a quarter mile had been
instructed to shelter in place. The ODEQ State
On-Scene Coordinator (SOSC) was notified of the situation via the Oregon
Emergency Response System (OERS), and in turn notified the EPA phone duty
officer, requesting assistance.
