Six pets killed in Washington County apartment fire

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Two dogs, two cats and two turtles were killed in a Washington County apartment fire that ignited off Northeast Evergreen Parkway on April 1.

The two adults and two children who live in the apartment were not at home when the fire started and returned home to find thick, black smoke billowing from the residence around 10 a.m., according to fire crews. People on scene attempted to douse the fire with fire extinguishers but were unable to stop the fire.

“When they entered their apartment, they were met with heavy, billowing dark smoke,” Hillsboro Fire & Rescue said.

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and AMR Ambulance all responded to the fire. Firefighters arriving on scene entered the home to extinguish the flames and search for victims.

No people were found inside the scorched apartment. While six pets were lost in the fire, two pet snakes that were also inside the home survived.

The fire was contained in a single unit on the ground floor. One apartment unit directly above the scorched apartment was also damaged by smoke. No people were injured by the fire, firefighters said.

The four residents were displaced by the fire and are staying with family.

Hillsboro Fire Investigators say that the fire began in the kitchen. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.