At approximately 6:38 PM on Tuesday, May 11, the Central Dakota Communications Center received a report of smoke and fire at an apartment building located on the 1000 block of Portland Drive, Bismarck. The Bismarck Fire Department was dispatched to investigate. The first arriving fire crew found a 2.5 story, multi-family apartment building with heavy smoke and fire showing from a second floor balcony.

The fire crew established command, deployed hose lines, and began to suppress the fire from the outside. The fire crew then entered the building to attack the fire from the interior.  Additional fire crews arrived on scene and assisted with interior fire attack, occupant evacuation, establishing the water supply, and securing utilities.  While fighting the fire, fire crews found an unresponsive victim in the apartment of origin.  Fire crews removed the victim from the building and transferred care to an ambulance crew on-scene where the victim was determined to be deceased.  When the fire was extinguished an overhaul operation was conducted to find any remaining smoldering materials, and the building was ventilated of smoke.  

Seven fire department apparatus and 22 fire fighters were dispatched to the scene. The Bismarck Police Department assisted with scene control. MDU assisted with securing utilities.  Metro Area Ambulance was on scene to provide medical support. The Crisis Care Chaplaincy was called to the scene to provide support. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, and some residents were temporarily displaced. There were no injuries to first responders. 

There was heavy fire and smoke damage throughout the apartment where the fire originated. There was light smoke damage to neighboring apartment units. The building's concrete construction was a factor in containing the fire within the apartment of origin.  The fire is under investigation by Bismarck Police Detectives, in conjunction with the Bismarck Fire Department, and State Fire Marshal.