A Hillsboro resident is lucky that a passer-by stopped to alert her to a fire in her garage.
The occupant, 23-year old Stephanie Lofgren, awoke to the pounding noise and the sound of her smoke alarms going off at 7:25 Thursday morning.
The motorist called 9-1-1 bringing Hillsboro Fire and Rescue firefighters. Lofgren ducked below the smoke as she and her two dogs escaped unharmed. Crews brought out a cat which survived.
One cat remains missing. Seven pet snakes and two bearded dragons (lizards) housed in glass enclosures in a back bedroom were unharmed due to aggressive efforts by firefighters to ventilate the smoke-filled home. They elected to leave the reptiles in place.
Initially turned in as a report of smoke coming from a residence, the incident was upgraded to a full one-alarm fire when the responding battalion chief reported seeing a column of smoke coming from the home as he entered the neighborhood.
They found heavy smoke and flames coming from the garage of a one-story, wood-frame home at 1970 NE 9th Avenue. They knocked down the flames within 20 minutes and spent another half hour mopping up hot spots. Crews from across the city, including Hillsboro volunteers, arrived to assist.
Fire investigators are on scene interviewing witnesses, the occupant and her boyfriend. The fire began in the garage, so investigators will be focusing on what appliances, equipment and combustible materials were in the garage at the time.
The damage estimate is placed at $75,000.
The fire caused heavy damage to the garage and extensive smoke damage to nearly the entire home. The only room untouched was an unused bedroom which had its door closed.
