A 76-year-old man went to the hospital after the front of his Northeast Portland house burned Friday morning.

An arson dog was dispatched to sniff for accelerants, a spokesman said.

Portland fire crews responded about 5 a.m. to the 4500 block of Northeast Going Street and found at least six people living in the house as well as in a recreational vehicle on the side of the house and in other spots in the backyard, said Lt. Rich Chatman, Fire Bureau spokesman.

Anna Sandys lives next door and said several people had escaped the 1 1/2-story house. The home owner, Paul Cole, went to the hospital, she said. Chatman said he had suffered from smoke inhalation.

"I don't know who lives here from night to night," Sandys said. "It's a one-bedroom house, but there's anywhere from 10 to 15 people sleeping here at any given moment."

Sandys, who has lived next door for nine years, described Cole as a religious man who lets transients stay at his house, many of them trying to recover from health and other issues. She said she's not surprised to see the home end up in flames.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"The fire started in the patio area," Chatman said, "and I think that's specifically why they want an arson dog to come out and sniff for accelerants."

This post will be updated as information comes in.

-- Tony Hernandez

thernandez@oregonian.com

503-294-5928

@tonyhreports