Just before 4 p.m. today, an off-duty Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue firefighter noticed smoke coming from a home on NE Sunny Acres Lane in Newberg as he was driving in the area. He stopped and confirmed that the house was on fire and called 911. With the off-duty firefighter’s detailed size-up, the battalion chief heading to the scene was able to immediately upgrade the incident to a first-alarm to ensure enough resources would be sent to the scene.

Initial incoming crews began aggressive fire attack methods. Due to a lack of hydrants in the area, water tenders had to shuttle water to the scene. The fire took over an hour to extinguish because of how quickly it had spread throughout the house.

Firefighters did a search of the house and determined that the family was not home when the fire broke out. Crews were able to rescue two dogs and one cat. Unfortunately, a second cat was found deceased as a result of the fire.

The house experienced significant fire, smoke and water damage and is not habitable. The family has arranged temporary housing through their insurance company while their home undergoes restoration work.

A TVF&R investigator determined that the cause of the fire appears to be accidental and originated in the air filtration system of the HVAC unit.

The home was not equipped with fire sprinklers. 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 www.tvfr.com.

TVF&R was assisted by Dundee Fire & Rescue, Carlton Fire Department, Yamhill Fire Protection District, Dayton Fire District, Gaston Rural Fire District and McMinnville Fire Department. Yamhill County Public Works assisted with traffic control to ensure the safety of the scene.