Shortly after 7:00 p.m., several callers to 9-1-1 reported fire and heavy smoke coming out of several units in the Boulder Creek Apartments complex located in the 28400 block of SW Ashland Drive in Wilsonville. Firefighters from Station 52 arrived to find all three floors of an apartment building engulfed in heavy black smoke with flames coming out the windows. A second alarm was called to bring additional resources to the fire scene.
Firefighters deployed multiple lines and immediately attacked the fire from two exterior positions to decrease the radiant heat of the fire. Working through intense heat and thick smoke, fire crews attacked the fire floor by floor while searching for potential occupants. Thanks to the aggressive tactics and efficient operations the fire did not grow to include any additional units and did not extend to the attic or adjacent buildings.
No one was found inside any of the fire units and no injuries occurred during the fire. Two cats were rescued from the third-floor unit. The three units that were initially on fire were damaged with the bottom unit being deemed a total loss. Three units across the stairwell in the same building were saved but occupants were advised to stay elsewhere to avoid exposure to the off gassing from the primary fire units. 16 people in total were displaced by the fire, the American Red Cross is assisting three adults, four children and two cats.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Fire investigators will conduct witness interviews, examine burn patterns and collect any material evidence to determine where and how the fire started.
Wilsonville Police Department assisted with evacuations and traffic control on scene.