At 9:55 a.m., the Washington County 9-1-1 Center took numerous calls reporting that a home at 5216 NW 137th Avenue had heavy black smoke and fire coming from every window.
As Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue crews were responding they could see a large column of black smoke. The first arriving crew from Fire Station 68 found heavy fire engulfing the entire west end of the home and flames through the roof, spreading across the attic of the home.
With numerous neighbors on site confirming to firefighters that no one was inside and knowing that the roof was likely minutes away from collapsing, the crew began an immediate exterior fire attack.
Minutes later as they began to transition to inside the home, the roof on the est end collapsed, forcing firefights to continue with an exterior attack. Additionally, firefighters kept the fire from spreading to the nearby, overhanging trees in the heavily forested neighborhood.
Firefighters had the fire under control within 30 minutes and then spent over an hour opening up walls, ceilings, and floor spaces to extinguish hot spots throughout the large two-story home.
The owners of the home were not home at the time and the family's two dogs were able to escape the home before firefighters arrived and now are being cared for by neighbors.
The home is considered a total loss.
