NEWS RELEASE
April 5, 2001
Release:  Immediately
Contact:  Karen Eubanks, (503) 642-0350 / (503) 229-9381 (pager)

The cause of a 2-alarm fire last night that destroyed a 3,100 square foot house, and portions of another, remains under investigation. Both houses were in the framing stage of construction and were part of a new sub-division located at 10940 S.W. Evans Court in Tualatin.

Responding firefighters could see flames and smoke approximately ½ mile away. When they arrived, they found one house completely engulfed with fire. The fire had also spread to the roof of a second house located on the adjacent lot to the east. Karen Eubanks, Public Information Officer, stated, "With the first house already fully involved, firefighters focused their immediate efforts on saving the second house." She added, "They made a great stop."

Fire investigators were on-scene most of today conducting interviews with the contractor and neighbors. It appears as if the fire may have begun on the ground level in a south/eastern corner. However, investigators have been unable to enter the structure to begin processing the scene due to the unstable second-floor overhead. Following the removal of the fire-damaged materials with a backhoe, investigators will begin to dig through the charred remains in an effort to determine the cause.

Approximately 25 firefighters responded to last night’s blaze. Damage estimates are unknown at this time.

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