At 10:25 a.m. today, an alert neighbor called 911 after noticing smoke coming from the back of a nearby home. They knew the resident and were concerned they would need assistance because they required a wheelchair. Additional neighbors driving by also reported seeing smoke and called 911.
The resident was inside the home when the fire started and reported being awakened by the smell of smoke. They could safely move from inside to outside with some assistance from the alert neighbor. As they exited, they shut the front door to try and prevent the fire from spreading. The resident was concerned about their dogs and cat and were advised by the 911 call taker not to re-enter their home for their safety and to alert arriving firefighters. Four dogs and one cat in total were reported to be inside.
Hillsboro Police officers were among the first responders to arrive at the scene. They reported seeing smoke coming up through the roof and emanating from the roof eaves. The officer went to the back of the home to check for other people or animals needing help. They found flames coming from a window in the back of the house and a large wood deck, which were areas of concern for stability reasons. En route to the fire, Engine 2 reported seeing a smoke header to the incident commander. The incident commander upgraded the fire to a first alarm to bring additional apparatus, equipment, and personnel to the scene.Â
Firefighters advanced a hose line to the back of the home and carefully navigated the unstable deck areas. On the first arriving fire engine, the company officer completed a 360-degree evaluation of the home, and firefighters advanced another hose line to the front of the house as an additional fire attack hose line. A second engine company connected to a fire hydrant on Rood Bridge Road to provide water for the fire attack crews and stretched the firefighting supply hose to the forward engines.
The fire hose needed to be stretched across Rood Bridge Road from the fire hydrant, so the roadway was temporarily closed to traffic. Once inside, firefighters located the area of the fire and knocked it down. They then worked to check for the extension of the fire to other parts of the home. They found that the fire did not extend and was contained in one area. Other firefighters rescued two dogs from a rear window of the house, and two other dogs were evacuated from the backyard. Firefighters thoroughly searched the home and reported finding no other people inside. They located and safely evacuated one cat that was reported missing.Â
Firefighters assessed the resident for medical care and reported that they were not injured. A Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplain responded to the incident to provide care and coordinate assistance to the resident. The fire displaced three adults, four dogs, and one cat.
A Hillsboro Fire & Rescue fire investigator responded to the scene to determine the cause of the fire. A Hillsboro Fire & Rescue investigator determined that a failed electrical outlet in the home’s dining room and kitchen caused the fire.
