Fire at Northeast Portland’s historic Roseway Theater was electrical, investigators say
By OPB staff (OPB)
Aug. 23, 2022 5:52 p.m.
A fire that heavily damaged a historic Northeast Portland theater earlier this month was found to be electrical in nature, according to Portland Fire & Rescue.
The fire at the Roseway Theater on Sandy Boulevard began in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, quickly growing into a three-alarm fire and destroying much of the building. Firefighters used aerial ladder trucks to pour water into the building in an effort to extinguish the fire and to keep it from spreading to adjoining businesses.
Investigators were finally able to safely enter the building Monday, after removing overhead debris with a crane. They ruled out arson and determined the fire was accidental.
The Roseway Theater was built in 1924 during the silent film era, operating continuously since 1925 until the recent fire.
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