Astoria blaze destroys Cannery Cafe

by Joanne Rideout

Firefighters from around the region battled a huge blaze last night in Astoria that started at the Cannery Cafe on the waterfront at 6th Street.

Astoria Police Department Public Information Officer Tara Constantine said the fire began around 10:30 pm at the restaurant, and quickly spread to the nearby #10 Sixth Street office building next door.

By midnight, seven area fire departments were on the scene trying to control the fire. As of about 2:00 am Astoria, Lewis and Clark, Olney, Warrenton, Seaside, Gearhart and Knappa departments were all fighting the blaze, with Cannon Beach firefighters also standing by.

Constantine said about 50 firefighters battled the fire into the wee hours of Friday morning. The US Coast Guard was also standing by on the water, along with the Clatsop County Marine Patrol.

Constantine said Pacific Power had shut off electricity to surrounding businesses within a three block radius of the blaze as a precaution.

She said the Red Cross was on scene offering water and snacks to firefighters. So far the cause of the fire is unknown, but the state fire marshal was on the scene during the blaze, and planned to begin investigating as soon as the fire was completely out.

Astoria fire officials expressed concern that the fire could spread along the Astoria Riverwalk to other buildings via the supporting network of old timbers that hold up the adjacent waterfront buildings.

Marine Drive near Sixth Street is closed and traffic is being detoured to 5th and 7th streets. Drivers should expect delays.