Police identify TD man killed in house fire on May 16
Bruce Kelly Meredith
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., May 21, 2024 — Police released the name of the man who was killed in a house fire on May 16 at 807 W. 19th Street after notifying his family.
Bruce Kelly Meredith, 68, perished in the fire that started at about 9 a.m. on that Thursday morning while visiting the owner.
The owner of the home, Daniel Portwood, a retired TD Police Officer, escaped the home without injury.
Two hunting dogs, who were outside in kennels near the home, survived despite items of plastic melting around them.
The burned house as it appeared today, May 21.
The house was nearly a complete loss. It appeared today, May 21, that the concrete foundation was the only portion of the building that survived the flames.
Meredith had lived in The Dalles for several years, and he has worked at multiple locations including Deschutes River State Recreational Area, an Oregon State Park 15 miles east of The Dalles off Interstate 84 around 2009.
Bruce worked there for one summer as a Park Assistant, collecting fees, and providing grounds maintenance. He had a huge gift for gab with fisherman going after steelhead.
It came naturally as he loved the thrill of the hunt and being outdoors.
Bruce was also an accomplished dog trainer, working many of his hunting dogs at trials around the Northwest.
He also took trips to Saskatchewan for Snow goose hunting.
Meredith also worked for Fed Ex Ground as an independent contractor and would limelight at times at Home Depot in the Garden Center.
He guided fishing trips in his years, especially on the John Day River, where he bragged about cooking with Dutch ovens while afloat in his drift boat as his clients cast for steelhead.
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