NEWS RELEASE

(Fire Destroys Home Located in Rural Clackamas County)

A two-alarm fire today destroyed a 4,000+ square foot home located at 473 SW Hoffman Road in unincorporated Clackamas County, just south of I-205. The fire was called to 9-1-1 at 10:15 a.m. by the next door neighbor’s housekeeper who stated she could see smoke and flames coming from the eaves. When crews from the Mountain Road fire station arrived six minutes later, there were flames coming through the roof. They immediately called a second-alarm (10:24 am), bringing additional firefighters and equipment to the fire.

Because the home was located in an area with no fire hydrants, all water used to extinguish the fire had to be brought to the scene. Four water tenders (apparatus which carry between 1,800-3,000 gallons of water) were dispatched for an immediate water supply to on-scene fire engines. In addition, firefighters established a drafting site at Hebb Park about 1.5 miles from the home, retrieving water from the Willamette River and shuttling it back to the scene.

Several issues—lack of water, amount of fire filling the entire attic and most of the home, and a neighbor’s report that the occupants were not home at the time—resulted in the decision to ensure firefighters’ safety and fight the fire from the exterior. The fire was considered under control within 40 minutes, however, firefighters continued to extinguish "hot spots" for over two hours.

The owners, David and Michelle Minch, had recently purchased the home and moved in about three weeks ago. According to Mr. Minch, he left the home around 9:30 a.m. and had noticed nothing out-of-the-ordinary. The couple’s dog perished in the fire.

The cause remains under investigation. Fire investigators have conducted interviews with the occupants and neighbors, and as soon as it is safe to enter the house, will begin processing the scene.

The house was located in, what firefighters call "the wildland urban interface" – areas where homes are nestled into steep hillsides, heavy brush and fields. Said Karen Eubanks, Public Information Officer, "Water is a lifeline for firefighters. While the easiest and most common method for obtaining water is a fire hydrant, many rural areas within our jurisdiction—like Pete’s Mountain—do not have hydrants or have a limited water supply." To provide fire protection to these areas, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue has a Rural Water Supply Program. The program identifies rural water sources and necessary techniques for getting water to a fire scene, including:

• Using existing water tenders (trucks which hold 1,800-3,000 gallons of water) retrofitted with equipment that can refill, transfer, and deliver water from swimming pools, ponds, cisterns, and dammable creeks. These tenders, staffed with career and volunteer firefighters, will respond from fire stations closest to non-hydranted areas;
• Three new 3,000-gallon portable water tanks that enable firefighters to shuttle additional water to a fire;
• Identification of private water sources. To date, over 100 swimming pools and wells throughout the Stafford and Tanner basin have been identified and added to firefighters’ response maps; and
• On-going training for firefighters on drafting and delivery techniques to ensure the most efficient use of equipment. Several drills are scheduled with neighboring departments including Aurora, Canby, Newberg, and Clackamas County Fire District No. 1.

If you reside in a rural area and would like more information on how to protect your home or rural water supply issues, contact Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue at 649-8577.

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