Owner lauds fire crews who saved Eugene business

John Coble got a call that no business owner wants to hear: his business was on fire.

Fortunately, Eugene Springfield Fire was able to respond quickly to the 11 p.m. blaze in the fall of 2023. When Coble arrived about 15 minutes after the call, he saw two fire trucks and a half-dozen people working at the back of his business, Northwest Solvents & Supply at 509 Chambers St. in Eugene.

He was told that someone started a fire at the back of his building, and at one point the flames grew to be higher than the roofline.

Fire crews had to cut a hole in the building and cut locks to gain access, bringing with them a fire hose to prevent flames from reaching the interior. Fortunately, the fire was contained and most of the building was saved.

Coble said he's especially grateful the fire was quickly contained because he had a lot of dry goods on site and tanks nearby that hold tens of thousands of gallons of gasoline.

"It would've gone up quickly," he said. "They were apologizing about cutting the hole. I told them, 'Do not apologize to me. I appreciate everything you guys do. You saved my business.'"

Crews helped clean up, and Coble said he and an employee were able to cut up some plywood and patch up the hole as a temporary fix.

Coble came away from the incident impressed by the friendliness and quick action of the firefighters and since the incident has told others about his appreciation for the job they do for local businesses and the community.

"People take services like that for granted sometimes," he said. "It's a hard job, it's a dangerous job. We need to appreciate them more."

Related story: See the challenges facing the fire department, which hasn't kept pace as the city has grown. Learn more Eugene fire facts.

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