A devastating blaze tore through a three-story apartment building in Aloha yesterday afternoon, leaving one person dead and five families without a home. The fire, which erupted on the first floor of the complex located in the 18000 block of Southwest Mapleoak Lane, was reported to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) around 2:20 p.m. after witnesses spotted black smoke billowing from the building.
TVF&R firefighters responded to quickly to try and contain the conflagration, which had spread to the balconies of the second and third floors by the time they arrived. According to an official release by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, the Incident Commander made the immediate decision to upgrade the emergency to a second alarm to bring additional firefighting resources to the scene. Despite their swift response, fire crews were unable to save one resident found in the first-floor unit, who unfortunately succumbed to their injuries.
The fire affected a total of six units, displacing five families that are now receiving support from the American Red Cross. Fortunately, no other residents or pets were reported injured during the incident. On-site assistance was provided by Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, American Medical Response, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, along with power management by Portland General Electric.
A joint investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway by TVF&R fire investigators and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. TVF&R has given permission for the dissemination of images accompanying their release for news purposes.
