Fires Hit Two Hillsboro Residences Within 25-Minutes

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue wants to remind residents to keep all combustibles away from any heat-producing device, such as stoves, ovens and space heaters whether they are operating or not.

Hillsboro Firefighters work to extinguish a 2-alarm residential fire at the corner of NW Connell and Forest.

(HILLSBORO, Ore.) - Two unrelated fires within 25-minutes heavily damaged two separate residents in Hillsboro Friday afternoon. The largest, a two-alarm fire, gutted a two-story northwest Hillsboro home killing an occupant's dog.

Storm Smith with Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, says firefighters were dispatched to 537 NW Connell Avenue at 4:12 p.m.

"When the first engine company arrived, they found heavy fire from the rear of the home with an adjacent two-story garage-apartment already catching fire."

He says the incident commander called for a 2nd alarm to bring additional fire crews.

"The initial company attacked the home fire first and knocked down the exterior flames. They then turned their attention to the burning garage apartment and extinguished those flames."

Additional, arriving crews mounted an interior attack on the house, Smith said, and brought the remainder of the fire under control at 5:15 p.m.

A total of 35 firefighters from Hillsboro Fire Department, Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, Washington County Fire District #2 and Cornelius Fire Department battled the fire.

Smith says the cause of the Connell Avenue blaze is under investigation. The home will likely be declared a total loss.

"Damage estimate is $350,000 including the loss of the owner's two pianos and three organs. The homeowner was out of town visiting relatives. His roommate had left about 3:00 p.m. to go to a store. He was just minutes away from home when he was notified of the fire." Smith says the deceased dog, a 14-year old Maltese, belonged to the roommate.

Earlier a fire broke out at a mobile home fire at 1901 SE Minter Bridge Road. That fire involved a two-bedroom manufactured home and was reported at 3:54 p.m. according to Smith.

"Hillsboro firefighters had that blaze under control within nine minutes. The occupant told investigators she was just moving in and had apparently set some materials on the stove top. Fire investigators say the occupant apparently bumped the burner controls turning on a burner. The 62-year old female occupant was out of the mobile home when the fire started and had only a few belongings in her new residence. Damage estimate is $20,000."

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue wants to remind residents to keep all combustibles away from any heat-producing device, such as stoves, ovens and space heaters whether they are operating or not. For more fire and life safety information, visit: hillsboro.or.us/fire or call 503-681-6166.