
Several businesses and residences were temporarily evacuated
On Thursday (Feb. 23) at about 6:45 p.m., the Vancouver Fire Department was dispatched to a strong smell of natural gas in a building at 806 Main Street. Two engines, a ladder truck and a battalion chief responded to the scene.
When the initial crews arrived at the address, they could immediately tell there was a natural gas problem in the building. Due to the size of the building and the potential for the gas to get into adjacent buildings, crews immediately shut down the gas at the meter and evacuated the entire city block.
Additional fire engines were called to help evacuate an area that covered Washington and Main between 8th and 9th streets. These evacuations included several businesses and residences.
Northwest Natural Gas (NWNG) arrived on scene to help with air monitoring and technical assistance. Due to the high readings of natural gas and carbon monoxide, power was also shut down to the block by Clark Public Utilities.
At approximately 9 p.m. crews were able to isolate the leak and ventilate the structure enough to lift the evacuation and restore power to the block so people could return home and businesses could open safely.
The Vancouver Fire Department appreciates the patience and understanding from the community involved in the evacuations and please know the safety of our community is our number one priority.
Information provided by Vancouver Fire Department.
Also read:
- Opinion: Were Republican voters just sleeping during the August primary election?CCRP Chairman Matt Bumala says 60% of primary no-shows in the 17th and 18th districts were Republicans.
- High school football: New coach prepares for long-term success at Prairie High SchoolJames Young-Lewis, a Clark County native who graduated from Evergreen in 2009, became Prairie’s head coach in May after working as an assistant coach across various programs since 2015, joining Prairie’s staff in 2024.
- Cost to battle 20 wildfires in WA has topped $200MTwenty wildfires have cost Washington $207M in one month, more than two-thirds of what DNR spent all last fiscal year.
- Opinion: WA Cares’ launch showcased care WA Cares did not provideGov. Ferguson showcased a caregiving arrangement at the WA Cares launch that the program had not paid for a single day of.
- Former State Rep. Liz Pike provides update on husband Neil CahoonNeil Cahoon, a Camas resident, has undergone multiple surgeries including five on Aug. 15 after the Aug. 10 crash near La Center’s Daybreak Airport.
- Opinion: Portland’s War on Cars Part 4 – A smarter automobile strategy to end gridlockO’Toole argues fuel wasted in Portland-area congestion has sextupled since 1982, generating 250,000 tons of extra greenhouse gases annually.
- $1,000 first prize for Camas Plein Air Art Event honoring Marquita Call on Sept. 26Plein air artists compete Sept. 26 in Camas for $1,000 first prize honoring gallery founder Marquita Call.








