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A fire ripped through the Northwest 22nd Avenue location of Elephants Delicatessen early this morning, closing the restaurant for the foreseeable future. There were no injuries.
At 1 am on March 10, Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at 115 NW 22nd Ave. It looks like the fire started outside the business and then spread to the interior and the roof, according to the fire department.
The crew was able to quickly extinguish the exterior fire but had to change tactics multiple times in order to put out the rest of the blaze. Eleven fire trucks responded to the emergency, according to the restaurant.
“First and foremost, we are grateful for the safety of our employees and customers. We are also deeply appreciative for the response of Portland Fire and Rescue,” says a Tuesday-morning post on the Elephants Delicatessen Instagram page.
The other six Elephants locations remain open and fully functional, and this does not disrupt catering operations either. However, the Northwest location is closed indefinitely as the business assesses the damage. The Portland Fire Investigations Unit has started its forensic evaluation of the scene to determine the cause.
“This is a challenging day for the Elephants Herd, but we remain resolute,” the Elephants post says. “Our restaurants are grounded in community, and we are confident in our ability to band together and emerge from this adversity.”
UPDATE 8 pm: The Portland Police Bureau tonight described the fire as “human caused on the exterior of the structure.”
Portland Fire & Rescue has released photos and videos of an “individual who may be associated with or have knowledge of the start of an exterior fire that resulted in significant damage to the NW PDX Elephant’s Deli.”
It appears to be a man wrapped in a gray sleeping bag trying to light a cigarette. PF&R is asking anyone who can help identify the suspect in the video to contact (503) 823-FIRE (3473) or arsontips@police.oregon.gov.
