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At 2pm this afternoon, firefighters were dispatched to a residential fire in the 900 block of S Beech Street in Cornelius. Initial reports from a citizen that a fire was in the living room of the house and that an elderly resident was inside, that citizen made entry into the house about 10 feet and found the elderly resident in a wheelchair. Flames were within feet of the resident and the front door. The citizen pull the elderly resident from the house and to a safe location. Firefighters arrived minutes later and started an attack on the flames in the front living room, they were able to quickly extinguish the fire and kept it from spreading to other rooms in the house.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, a loss estimate is not available at this time. Due to the quick actions of the citizen, the resident sustained no injuries. If the citizens didn't first spot the fire and then rescue the resident, it is without a doubt that the outcome of this incident would have be worse and potentially deadly. The residents of the house are recieving assistance from the Red Cross.

While the citizens actions saved the resident's life, we don't suggest everyone run into burning buildings. Firefighters undergo vast amounts of training and have the proper protective equipment to shield them from the heat and smoke that fires produce.

Cornelius Fire was assisted on scene by Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, Gaston Fire District, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, Metro West Ambulance, Washington County Sheriffs Office and American Red Cross.

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