At 1:48 a.m. on Tuesday, a caller reported that the side of a neighbor’s home was on fire and a nearby fence was catching fire as well.

Just a couple of blocks away from 15580 NW Perimeter Place, firefighters saw a column of black smoke and the glow of flames. The first-arriving crew from Station 64 pulled into a cul-de-sac and found a two-story home with 25 to 30 feet flames coming off the left side of the house. The fire had also spread to the garage and a fence, threatening the house next door.

A family of five and a dog were found outside the home; everyone had exited safely and escaped injury. Family members said they were woken up by the sound of their smoke alarms and the smell of smoke.

Crews quickly attacked the fire on the side of the house and fence, protecting the threatened home next door, and then transitioned to fighting the interior fire. Searches of the house confirmed that no one was inside the home and everyone exited safely.

Due to the location of the fire, a gas meter was disabled and led to the release of gas. Crews positioned themselves to keep the gas-fed fire isolated while working with NW Natural to shut off the supply line.

There was significant damage to the home, and five people were displaced as a result of the fire.

Investigators remain on scene working through material evidence, conducting witness interviews, and analyzing burn patterns to determine a cause and calculate a damage estimate.

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue responded to this incident to provide mutual aid; NW Natural and PGE assisted in securing utilities; and Washington County Sherriff's Office deputies aided with traffic control.