Avalos Home Fire Began in Shed; No Accelerants Found

Early on Sunday, Oct. 26, around 2:40 a.m., Portland firefighters responded to a blaze in the Mill Park neighborhood that engulfed several vehicles, a carport and damaged City Councilor Candace Avalos’s home; Avalos escaped with her cat Valentino and no one was injured. Initial reports described the fire as suspicious and suggested it may have started in one of Avalos’s vehicles, prompting an arson investigation. Preliminary findings released Oct. 27 indicate the blaze originated in a storage shed adjacent to her residence rather than in a vehicle, and investigators say they found no evidence of accelerants or incendiary devices. Authorities have not identified a suspect, the Portland Fire Investigations Unit and Portland Police Bureau continue to probe the cause, and city leaders praised first responders and urged the public to report tips.