Just after 4 a.m. today, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched to a report of a residential fire in the 4400 block of Northwest Metolius Court in the Rock Creek neighborhood of unincorporated Washington County.
Firefighters from nearby Station 64 arrived within minutes and encountered heavy fire from the garage area of the home, with fire spreading to the living area and attic of the residence.
The single occupant of the home was outside when firefighters arrived and confirmed that nobody else was inside. The occupant reported that she was awoken by the smell of smoke and popping noises in the residence. She went downstairs to discover the fire.
After exiting the residence, the homeowner attempted to extinguish the flames using a garden hose, but her efforts were unsuccessful.
It took firefighters about 40 minutes to control the blaze. Crews from TVF&R were assisted on scene by firefighters from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue.
This early morning fire serves as a good reminder to ensure that your home has working smoke alarms on each level of your home and outside of all sleeping areas. Fortunately, this homeowner was awoken by the smell of smoke in her residence, but that is often not the case for fire victims who succumb to smoke inhalation in their sleep.
TVF&R would like to remind residents that it is the smoke that kills, not the flames from fire.
A TVF&R fire investigator remains on scene at this time to determine the cause of the fire. There are no damage estimates available at this time. For more information about smoke alarm placement and fire safety, click on the link below.