Hillsboro Fire & Rescue crews rescued two people from a burning home and extinguished a separate vehicle fire within an hour of each other June 25, drawing mutual aid from three neighboring agencies.

Two Rescued from Second-Story Window

At 1:43 pm, multiple callers reported a house fire in the 1700 block of SE Oak Street, with some callers saying two people might still be trapped inside. A Hillsboro Police officer arrived and relayed the same information to fire crews, who reported seeing a smoke plume from a distance while still en route.

The first crews on scene found heavy smoke and fire on the second story. Firefighters went in to attack the fire while other crews searched for the two people reported trapped inside. As conditions worsened — an attached deck began collapsing, and thick vegetation at the back of the house was hampering firefighting efforts — the incident commander upgraded the response to a second alarm for additional resources.

Firefighters found both victims on the second floor. They rescued the first person through a window and down a ground ladder to waiting paramedics. To reach the second person, crews used chainsaws to enlarge a window opening, a technique known as a "window conversion," then brought the person down using firefighters positioned on multiple ladders. Both victims suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to local hospitals. A search of the rest of the home turned up no additional victims.

Crews knocked down the bulk of the fire and searched for extension and dousing hot spots; nearly an hour after the first 911 call, the fire was fully extinguished. Firefighters remain on scene overnight to watch for reignition. Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplains responded to support those affected.

Vehicle Fire Spreads to Fence, Vegetation in SE Hillsboro

About 40 minutes later, at 2:24 pm, a neighbor in the 5000 block of SE Patterson Street reported a structure fire visible behind their home, worried it could spread. Hillsboro Police officers in the area, also responding, helped pinpoint the exact address amid heavy smoke.

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue Engine 9 arrived within four minutes and found a fire near the back of the home. Dispatchers had learned that a person tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire with a garden hose. Firefighters pulled hoses to the back of the property and found a vehicle parked alongside the house fully involved, with fire spreading to a wooden fence and nearby trees. No injuries were reported, and the fire was contained to the vehicle without spreading to the structure. A second engine responded to provide additional resources.

Investigation Ongoing

Fire investigators responded to both incidents, and the causes remain under investigation.

Both fires drew firefighters from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Cornelius Fire Department, and Lake Oswego Fire Department, stretching local resources across the two simultaneous responses. Hillsboro Fire & Rescue thanks its partner agencies, including Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Cornelius Fire Department, Lake Oswego Fire Department, Hillsboro Police, AMR Ambulance, Portland General Electric, NW Natural Gas, Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (WCCCA 911), and Hillsboro Public Safety Chaplains.