At 12:28 pm this afternoon, Hillsboro firefighters were dispatched to a residential house fire in the 3000 block of NE Azalea Street. Multiple calls to 911 from neighboring residents indicated flames coming from the garage of the home. En route to the call, the incident commander alerted the 911 dispatchers that a black smoke header was visible and upgraded the incident to a first alarm to bring additional firefighters and resources to the scene.Â
The first arriving engine initiated an attack on the fire while firefighters from the truck company searched the home for occupants. Early reports to responders indicated that there was possibly a victim inside the home. Firefighters immediately initiated a search for the victim. Fire spread from the garage to the living area of the home. Due to the fire behavior and rescue efforts, the fire was upgraded to a second alarm. Firefighters determined there were no-one inside the home. As crews continued to work the fire, an additional engine was assigned to fire attack while other crews made access to the roof helping to ventilate the home of heated smoke and gas.
A Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplain responded to the fire to provide support for two adult residents displaced because of the fire. The residents were not home at the time of the fire.
Hillsboro Fire Investigators responded to the scene to investigate. The fire investigation is ongoing, and no official cause has been determined.
