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Just before 3 p.m. Friday, callers to 911 reported black smoke pouring out of a duplex in the 19000 block of SW 68th Avenue in Tualatin. Firefighters from TVF&R and Lake Oswego Fire Department arrived to find one of the units engulfed in flames and threatening the neighboring residence and nearby trees. Firefighters quickly conducted a search to verify that people weren’t trapped inside while they began to extinguish the fire, which they knocked down within 12 minutes. Firefighters worked for another hour to prevent the fire from rekindling while removing smoke and salvaging belongings.
A TVF&R fire investigator will be working to determine where and how the fire started by examining material evidence and conducting witness interviews. The residents of the fire unit were not home when the fire started, and residents from both units of the duplex will be displaced due to fire, smoke, or water damage. The duplex did not contain a residential fire sprinkler system. There were no injuries as a result of the fire.
In addition to the support from Lake Oswego Fire Department and Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (911 dispatchers), TVF&R was assisted by Tualatin Police Department, American Medical Response, Portland General Electric, and NW Natural Gas. The American Red Cross will be assisting families displaced by the fire.
TVF&R approves the use of all images included with this release for the purpose of news dissemination.
Media Invitation - Video & Interview Opportunity
Event: Recognition of Bystander Interventions During Cardiac Event
Date: Wednesday, April 24
Time: 4 – 5 p.m.
Location: TVF&R Station 20, 414 E 2nd Street, Newberg, 97132
RSVP To: Corrine Haning, Public Information Officer, 503-259-1111 or Corrine.Haning@tvfr.com
On Wednesday, April 24, from 4 to 5 p.m., TVF&R will recognize six community members who took swift action to aid in the lifesaving care of Robert Bass, a Newberg School District employee at Antonia Crater Elementary School.
On the morning of Tuesday, February 27, Bass experienced a cardiac event outside of Antonia Crater Elementary School. A community member out on a walk noticed him collapse and rushed over to help, calling 911 and initiating hands-only CPR with the direction of a WCCCA 911 dispatcher. Additional community members jumped in to retrieve and apply an AED, as well as continue hands-only CPR until firefighter paramedics arrived.
We will recognize the efforts of these individuals and will highlight the importance of taking action in the first critical moments of a cardiac emergency.
For questions day of, please call 503-259-1111 or email pio@tvfr.com.
Event will provide information about local option levy for emergency services.
The public is invited to attend a Virtual Town Hall on Monday, April 22, at 6 p.m. to learn more about Measure 34-332, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue’s local option levy that will be on the May 21 ballot.
Fire Chief Deric Weiss will host the town hall that will be streamed live on TVF&R’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok. Questions about the measure can be submitted during the event.
Measure 34-332 proposes a replacement five-year operating levy with a rate of 69 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. If approved, the levy would cost the average homeowner about $210 per year or $17.54 a month.
TVF&R’s existing levy, which was approved in 2019, will not sustain current or future fire and emergency medical service operations and is set to expire in June 2025. Under Oregon law, levies expire in five years or less and require voter approval.
Over the past five years, there has been a 17 percent increase in the frequency of emergency incidents in TVF&R’s service area. The District’s growing community and rising demands require more firefighters and paramedics to maintain reliable emergency response.
If the replacement levy does not pass, funding that pays for at least 92 of 450 TVF&R firefighters and paramedics would be lost and staffing reductions would be required, which may impact response times and reliability.
If the replacement levy passes, levy funds will retain existing first responders and add 36 more. Additional responders at existing stations will ensure prompt response times and reliability when multiple incidents happen at the same time.
Levy funding will also be used to purchase specialized equipment used for medical emergencies such as cardiac monitors and defibrillators as well as critical firefighting tools, including thermal imagers that aid in search and rescue efforts and self-contained breathing apparatus worn by firefighters in burning buildings.
With increased wildfire risk and a strained emergency medical system, levy proceeds will also purchase smaller vehicles used to fight wildfire, shuttle water, and transport patients.
Levy funds will allow the District to add personnel who train and equip first responders.
If approved, the replacement levy would appear on the November 2025 property tax statement. TVF&R intends to maintain the same levy rate for 10 years, which will help long-term planning, ensure service stability, and provide predictability to taxpayers.
For more information, call Public Affairs Manager Stefan Myers at 503-649-8577. A video of the town hall will be available on TVF&R’s social media platforms and www.tvfr.com following the event.
Additional Video with Information About the Levy: https://youtu.be/x9dxx8G2Qdg