Quick Action By Firefighters Prevents Apartment Fire Spread (Photo)
- 02/07/26
This evening at 7:51 p.m., neighbors near an apartment complex in the 700 block of SE 7th Avenue in Hillsboro called 911, reporting they could see flames from an apartment unit behind their home. At the time of the call, it was unclear if the unit was occupied. As initial fire units were en route, the call was upgraded to a first alarm, bringing additional firefighters from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue to the incident.
Engine 2 arrived within four minutes, immediately followed by Engine 1. The company officer on Engine 2 reported heavy smoke with flames rising above the roof from the end unit. As firefighters entered the fire unit with hoses, those from Truck 5 ascended the roof to cut a ventilation opening to release heated gases and smoke from inside the structure. Firefighters on Engine 5 connected to a fire hydrant and laid 300 feet of large supply hose to the firefighting engine, pumping water to the firefighters inside. The hydrant was located at the corner of SE 7th Avenue and SE Cedar Street, requiring that SE 7th Avenue be temporarily closed to prevent damage to the large supply line hose. Firefighters quickly knocked down the bulk of the fire inside and then extinguished the remaining hot spots. The quick knockdown of the fire prevented it from spreading to the other units that shared a common attic space.
Firefighters searched the affected unit and the adjacent units and reported that no one was found inside. Information provided to firefighters at the scene indicated that the residents of the affected unit were not home at the time, and residents in the adjacent units were alerted by smoke alarms and evacuated safely. No injuries were reported.
Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplains responded to the incident to provide aid and support to the residents. In total, two adults were displaced by the fire, and four other residents were allowed to regain access to their apartment units in the same building, as the fire and smoke appeared to have had minimal impact.
Hillsboro Fire and Rescue investigators responded to the incident, and the investigation is ongoing. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
Thanks to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Hillsboro Police, AMR Ambulance, and Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplains, who assisted at the incident.
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Quick Action By Firefighters Prevents Apartment Fire Spread (Photo)
- 02/07/26
This evening at 7:51 p.m., neighbors near an apartment complex in the 700 block of SE 7th Avenue in Hillsboro called 911, reporting they could see flames from an apartment unit behind their home. At the time of the call, it was unclear if the unit was occupied. As initial fire units were en route, the call was upgraded to a first alarm, bringing additional firefighters from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue to the incident.
Engine 2 arrived within four minutes, immediately followed by Engine 1. The company officer on Engine 2 reported heavy smoke with flames rising above the roof from the end unit. As firefighters entered the fire unit with hoses, those from Truck 5 ascended the roof to cut a ventilation opening to release heated gases and smoke from inside the structure. Firefighters on Engine 5 connected to a fire hydrant and laid 300 feet of large supply hose to the firefighting engine, pumping water to the firefighters inside. The hydrant was located at the corner of SE 7th Avenue and SE Cedar Street, requiring that SE 7th Avenue be temporarily closed to prevent damage to the large supply line hose. Firefighters quickly knocked down the bulk of the fire inside and then extinguished the remaining hot spots. The quick knockdown of the fire prevented it from spreading to the other units that shared a common attic space.
Firefighters searched the affected unit and the adjacent units and reported that no one was found inside. Information provided to firefighters at the scene indicated that the residents of the affected unit were not home at the time, and residents in the adjacent units were alerted by smoke alarms and evacuated safely. No injuries were reported.
Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplains responded to the incident to provide aid and support to the residents. In total, two adults were displaced by the fire, and four other residents were allowed to regain access to their apartment units in the same building, as the fire and smoke appeared to have had minimal impact.
Hillsboro Fire and Rescue investigators responded to the incident, and the investigation is ongoing. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
Thanks to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Hillsboro Police, AMR Ambulance, and Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplains, who assisted at the incident.
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