Investigators Remain At Site of Overnight Carport Fire in Tualatin Valley

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Investigators continue to conduct witness interviews, examine evidence, and analyze burn patterns to determine what caused an early morning fire that destroyed four cars, damaged six additional cars, and caused heat damage to the siding of a nearby building. 

Just after 2 a.m. on January 21, 2012, several frantic callers living in the Hallwood Apartments in Beaverton described a fiery scene outside their windows.  While 9-1-1 dispatchers attempted to calm them and provided safety instructions, firefighters from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responded to the blazing carport that was threatening the three-story building nearby. Fire crews split up to evacuate residents and contain the mass of burning vehicles and the collapsing roof.

Though the firefighters' aggressive fire attack wasn't able to save some of the vehicles, they kept the fire from spreading to the apartment building where dozens of residents could have been harmed or displaced. Additional firefighter paramedics and ambulances from Metro West were staged nearby in case anyone was hurt, but fortunately none of the residents or emergency responders suffered injuries. All of the residents were able to return to their homes.

There is no damage estimate at this time, and fire investigators have narrowed the area of the fire's origin to a recycling and trash containment area. 

Since 1995, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue has responded to at least 1200 apartment fires in which:

• 18 tenants have died
  
• 50 tenants have been injured
  
• Over 550 tenants displaced, and
  
• Millions of dollars in property damage has occurred 
  

To reduce these devastating fires, TVF&R has a Multi-Family Housing Fire Reduction Program. This innovative, multi-faceted program offers resources and training for landlords, property owners, and tenants in hopes of keeping their apartment community safer from fire. Visit the Fire District's web site for more safety tips for landlords or tenants.



Author:Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Press Release