Abandoned Foundry Building Destroyed in Oregon Fire

OREGON — An abandoned industrial building in Oregon was destroyed by a massive fire Friday evening. Emergency crews were called to the  300 block of South First Street just before 5 p.m. after residents reported seeing thick black smoke coming from the former Foundry building, which had been vacant for several years. The Oregon Fire Protection District responded and requested assistance from several surrounding fire departments due to the size of the building and the conditions at the scene. Firefighters brought the blaze under control around 10 p.m..  According to Oregon Fire Protection District Chief Micheal Knoup, no injuries were reported. He said the structure, comparable in size to two football fields, burned due to heavy timber as part of its bowstring style construction. Knoup also said they just used water to battle the blaze, not foam, and were monitoring the runoff that made its way into the Rock River. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The City of Oregon purchased the property in 2025 with hopes of redevelopment along the riverfront for $325,000.