This was not the golden reminder that the Government Camp condominium intended. The Golden Poles erupted in flames early Monday, April 20, prompting a three-alarm response by firefighters to Multorpor Road at the entrance to Skibowl East.

Hoodland Fire District Chief Mic Eby took a well-deserved breath of fresh air
Friday, April 24, and reflected on the heroic efforts of his staff and volunteers.

“Our firefighters were exceptional,” Eby said. “We tried to pace them, but we
were forced to use them over and over. I’m so proud of them. They
epitomized what it means to be a firefighter. With that much fire, the winds,
rain and snow, nature was against us. No, nature was testing us.”

Fortunately, only a handful of rooms were occupied at the time the fire broke
out. Everyone at the Golden Poles managed to escape unharmed. There were
no serious injuries to firefighters.

“Thank God,” Eby said. “One guy bummed a knee. That was all.”

The fire started on the top floor of the three-story complex, and firefighters
were immediately confronted with challenges. There was no sprinkler system.
Golden Poles had a double metal roof which prevented a collapse, containing
the fire. The back side was nothing but patios, providing no access.

“The place was built to withstand heavy snow and there were lots of hidden
places,” Eby said. “Each room was like a vault – very difficult to penetrate.”

Three million gallons of water was used to battle the blaze, according to Eby.
The Government Camp water supply was soon exhausted.

“We had to take water from Trillium Lake, and every creek in Govy,” Eby said.
“We had to do it.”

Firefighters and equipment from Sandy, Boring, Estacada, Clackamas,
Gresham, Gladstone, Wilsonville and Lake Oswego joined forces with
Hoodland Fire.

“There were so many tenders I’m not sure where they all came from,” Eby
said.

Due to the depletion of the local water supply a tier-1 violation was triggered
forcing a mandated Boil Water notice by the Government Camp Water
Company. The notice was lifted April 22, but Steve Graeper of the Hoodland
Area Water Coalition took the event as a signal to all area water companies.
“This is exactly the type of situation that calls for a united front by all
Hoodland area water suppliers,” Graeper wrote in an email. “Much like it
happened with Hoodland Fire District, we should all be ready to offer
assistance to a fellow water system in need. Whether it be with manpower,
materials, supplies, filter trucks, excavators, you name it.”

As the flames subsided, leaving behind the destruction of Golden Poles, with
the remainder of the smoke drifting high above the condominiums, Eby
traveled from Hoodland to Government Camp Friday, experiencing the best
moment he’d had in a while.

“It was nice to see (this morning) on the drive up – there was no smoke,” he
said. “But it’s still very unsafe in there (the condominium).”

Cause of the fire is still under investigation, and could take weeks before fire
marshals make a determination, Eby said.