At 5:54 p.m., Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responded to reports of an apartment fire at 20512 SW Roy Rogers Rd. in Sherwood. Multiple callers to 9-1-1 reported flames coming from a third floor unit. With fire alarms sounding, residents began to evacuate.

The fire was contained to one unit and extinguished by the building's commercial fire sprinkler system that did its intended job of limiting fire damage and potential loss of life prior to the arrival of firefighters.

According to TVF&R Battalion Chief Ian Yocum, "Without the presence of a commercial fire sprinkler system in the apartment building, this fire could have been significant."

A TVF&R fire investigator responded to the scene and has pinpointed the area of origin to the kitchen; the exact cause remains under investigation. Four apartment units are uninhabitable at this time due to the power being shut off. The seven displaced residents have made alternate living arrangements.

When a fire sprinkler system is present in a structure -- residential or commercial -- the likelihood of injuries and costly damage is dramatically reduced. More information about fire sprinkler systems can be found at www.tvfr.com.