What started as a late-night backyard fire in North Portland’s Humboldt neighborhood has turned into a six-figure courtroom fight. Allstate is suing a Portland homeowner after a 2024 blaze that, according to the insurer, destroyed a neighbor’s house, damaged a second home and killed two pets. The company says it paid out more than three-quarters of a million dollars for the losses and now wants that money back.
According to OregonLive, Allstate paid $747,000 to neighbor Brant Kilber and filed a subrogation lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court on July 6, 2026. The complaint names Michael Davis as the defendant and seeks to claw back the payout tied to the July 27, 2024 fire.
Portland Fire & Rescue reports that crews were dispatched in the early morning hours of July 27, 2024 and that more than 50 firefighters responded to the two-house blaze, according to Portland Fire & Rescue. The bureau’s account and photos show heavy fire toward the rear of a home, and officials say two pets died of apparent smoke inhalation as flames spread to a neighboring house.
What Allstate Says Happened
Allstate’s complaint claims the fire started when Davis allegedly left a Solo Stove fire pit burning unattended and allowed embers to reach combustible material on or near the adjacent house, according to OregonLive. The insurer says its policyholder, Kilber, suffered a total loss of his home and argues that Davis should be financially responsible for the damage in the civil case.
Photos and Scene Evidence
Photographs posted by Portland Fire & Rescue show what appears to be a Solo Stove near the back deck of the home that investigators examined. Fire investigators ruled the blaze accidental, while Allstate’s lawsuit contends that the placement of the device and the choice to leave embers smoldering are what ultimately triggered the loss…