At 12:25 pm, a neighbor called 9-1-1 to report that thick, black smoke was coming from the roof of a residence at 20135 SW Newcastle Drive in Aloha.

Upon arrival, firefighters from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and Hillsboro Fire & Rescue began aggressively fighting the fire. The fire was contained to the garage and firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the inside of the house.

The homeowner and a child safely evacuated the home, closing the door behind them, prior to the arrival of firefighters. The fire was brought under control within ten minutes of arrival. A fire investigator responded to the scene and the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time.

The home did contain smoke alarms, but did not have a fire sprinkler system. When a fire sprinkler system is present, the likelihood of injuries and costly damage is dramatically reduced. More information about fire sprinkler systems can be found at: http://www.tvfr.com/index.aspx?nid=144.

This afternoon's fire is an important reminder that everyone should have and practice a family fire escape plan. Download a plan and customize it for your family at: www.oregon.gov/osp/SFM/docs/escape.pdf.

For additional safety tips, visit www.tvfr.com.