Click here for misc pictures of May 2002 small demo burn
Click here for MVA pictures -- May 2002 log truck
Click here for MVA pictures -- Easter morning -- 2002 beach accident
Click here for MVA pictures -- Arch Cape -- May 2001 accident
 
Demo fire of small hotel
Click picture to see large version   Click picture to see large version
     
Three homes were completely destroyed by fire on Monday, Dec. 18, 2000 at Chapman Point in the north end of Cannon Beach. Upper photo shows two homes completely engulfed by flame. Smaller photo shows firefighter battling the blaze in one home as the upper story in another
house topples over.
.............................
Click on the images to see the full size picture
 
 

The holiday fire of 2000 destroyed three houses, caused more than
$1 million in damage, and left one Cannon beach firefighter with a broken ankle. Thankfully, the most costly blaze in Cannon Beach history didn't claim any lives.
Shortly before 9:30 a.m. emergency calls began flooding into 911
and Cannon Beach Fire & Rescue was dispatched.. One house
was on fire on Oak Street and others were in danger.
     
Within an hour three homes were gone and early estimates put damages at $1.1 million. Fire and Rescue crews from Seaside and Gearhart also responded and help stop the blaze from taking
virtually all of the structures on Chapman Point.
"In terms of the dollar amount involved, it was one of the worst fires
I have ever seen," said Cannon Beach Fire Chief Cleve Rooper.
     
Construction workers in another Chapman Point home told
Cannon Beach Police Officer Rob Schulz they heard an
explosion they took to be a large propane tank in the
middle of the 3 houses involved.
"There was construction going on in the middle house. The construction crew said they heard a big 'whoosh' sound followed
by a large explosion. Luckily they were able to get out.
There could have been losses of life here," said Shulz.
     
The propane tank kept feeding the fire before it finally exploded.
The surrounding homes caught on fire from the immense heat transfer. A total of 20 local firefighters and a combined team of 34 surrounded the homes in efforts to stop the blaze from spreading. The fire had spread to beach grass and threatened several other homes on Oak Street. Fire crews and area construction crews helped soak down roofs and shrubs to contain the fires movements.
     
     
Some pictures and text
used on this page
were provided by the
Cannon Beach Gazette
     
     
 
Copyright 2000 CBRFPD