Fire investigators have completed their investigation into the 2-alarm fire which destroyed a 4,771 square foot home last Monday morning. It is believed that the fire—electrical in nature—started in the southwest wall of the master bedroom and spread upwards into the attic. Because the origin was within a wall and most of the structural members were destroyed by fire, it is unknown how long the problem may have existed before fire broke out.

The Hoffman Road incident highlighted the issue of lack of water in rural areas for fire fighting purposes. Because the home was located outside a city and had no municipal water supply, all water necessary for battling the fire had to be brought to the scene. Throughout the incident, firefighters insured a continuous water supply by drafting water from the nearby Willamette River and shuttling it to the fire with water tenders. Individuals who live in rural areas are encouraged to contact Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue if they have a private water supply (pond, pool, well, etc.). This information can then be placed on firefighters’ response maps for quick identification in the event of a fire.

Individuals who reside in rural areas can also protect their home by installing an alarm system for early detection and a residential sprinkler system. Although a sprinkler system probably would not have made much difference in this incident, sprinkler systems have demonstrated the ability to contain or extinguish most fires in less time that it takes for a fire engine to arrive. Damage caused by fires in homes with sprinklers is usually a fraction of the damage sustained in house fires where sprinklers are not present.