House fire claims one life in Forest Grove investigation underway

A fatal house fire in Forest Grove, Oregon, on July 25 resulted in the death of one resident. The fire, reported at 5:16 p. m. , prompted firefighters to upgrade the response to a second alarm after spotting a significant smoke column. Upon arrival, firefighters found an old house converted into apartments fully engulfed in flames.

An off-duty firefighter and a retired deputy fire marshal were already on the scene, assisting with evacuations. Firefighters initially fought the flames from both inside and outside but had to withdraw due to the compromised roof. It took over an hour to control the majority of the fire and nearly two more hours to extinguish hidden hot spots. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, while the deceased resident's family has been notified. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Forest Grove Fire Marshal's Office and police detectives.