VIDEO/PHOTOS: Portland Fire and Rescue investigators are seeking an arson suspect after an overnight fire happened at an occupied restaurant in the Lents Neighborhood. Just before 2 a.m. Tuesday morning, PF&R said crews responded to the fire at the Ka-Te Restaurant and Bar at 3554 SE 82nd Ave. On the way to the restaurant, fire crews learned the blaze was on the patio and drawing closer to the main structure. The people who were inside the building safely evacuated following instructions from dispatchers at BOEC to exit through a doorway. By the time firefighters arrived, the people were out in front of the building, with the fire active in the back. Everyone safely made it out of the building, officials said.
โCrews quickly extinguished the fire on the exterior and ensured that the fire did not extend to the interior of the building,โ PF&R said in a press release. โDue to the suspicious nature of the fire, the command officer requested the on-duty fire investigator to the scene.โ Firefighters reviewed security camera footage, interviewed people at the scene and assessed the fire damage. Kiki, a Portland Fire and Rescue dog, also detected that an accelerant had been used. Surveillance video released by PF&R shows the alleged arsonist dumping what investigators think is the accelerant onto a ramp. A bright flash of orangish light illuminates the scene from off-screen. He then runs down the street.
