At 12:47 pm, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responded to reports of a residential fire at 16552 SW Henderson Ct. in unincorporated Washington County near Beaverton. Firefighters from Cooper Mountain Station 69 arrived at the home within four minutes.

Upon arrival, crews found that charged black smoke was coming from the roof, chimney, and crawlspace vents underneath the house. Firefighters initiated an aggressive search for the source of the fire and simultaneously pulled hose lines. They isolated the source of the fire in the crawlspace and were able to gain access to it through a wall in the garage. Once the fire was isolated, firefighters were able to knock it down quickly.

One person was home at the time of the fire. A woman and several cats escaped safely and there were no reported injuries. Firefighters made every attempt to salvage the home's contents and minimize damage to the structure.

"Despite the unfortunate nature of this event, the homeowner did everything right. She saw smoke, called 9-1-1 right away, and exited the house," said TVF&R Division Chief Deric Weiss. "The homeowners also provided firefighters with critical information that helped us isolate the source of the fire and minimize damage to the extent that was possible."

A TVF&R fire investigator responded to the scene and is working to determine the cause of the fire and a damage estimate.