A catastrophic fire devastated an established district at East Burnside and 28th, Portland, Oregon last Friday. The inferno considerably impacted several residences and local businesses, significantly affecting a cherished ice cream store
The fire erupted around 4:00 am and took the day’s majority to completely subdue. The popular ice cream store, reputed for its creative flavors and eco-friendly operations, was among the worst hit
This unfortunate incident has cast uncertainty on the future of the store. Various local businesses within the vicinity were also affected, but none as much as the ice cream store. Law enforcement is currently looking into the cause of the fire.
Residents of the Kearns Neighborhood have united in support of the affected businesses. Local, Jamie Masculine, expressed his fondness for the ice cream store, mirroring the community’s sentiment
Chad Draizin, the owner of the burnt store, commended the firefighters’ efforts in fighting the fire.
Portland fire’s destructive impact on local businesses
He stated that the damage inflicted was quite significant.
“There’s massive damage in our production area and storage…everything’s destroyed in there,” Draizin confessed. Recovery is anticipated with a swift rebuilding plan already in motion.
The tracing of the fire origin posed a significant hurdle given the hazardous conditions and complex building structure. Despite this, there were no fatalities, and two cats were rescued.
While the exact cause remains elusive, due to heavy smoke and building layout’s complexity, thanks to Portland Fire & Rescue’s intervention, human life was spared, and two feline lives were saved.
Draizin is aware of the upcoming challenges, particularly the uncertainty of his staff’s job status. Despite such adversity, he remains optimistic about the ice cream store’s revival, urging local residents to support the impacted businesses.
Despite losing a spot that accounted for half of the ice cream store’s revenue, Draizin remains determined, pushing his business forward with plans to refurbish and promote the other branches. He also plans to open new outlets to balance the unexpected sales dip. New locations are under consideration to counterbalance the sudden decrease in sales.
In a spirit of community solidarity, a local auto body shop has offered a temporary space to facilitate the rebuilding process. Residents are eagerly awaiting updates on the ice cream store’s future location, and underlying support from the community shines through during these challenging times.
