At 4:18 am Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue was called to a reported fire at the Park Place Assisted Living Center at 8445 SW Hemlock Street in Tigard. First-arriving crews from Station 53 (Progress) and 66 (Beaverton) arrived and were told that there was a small fire in the living room of a resident’s unit on the second floor, and the resident was still inside. Staff had attempted to remove the 60 year-old female occupant, but was unsuccessful due to heavy smoke and flames in the unit. Firefighters immediately made access to the second story and extinguished the small fire which was being controlled by a sprinkler system, and rescued the resident. She was administered advanced life support care by paramedics on scene and transported to Emanuel Burn Center in Portland. The female’s father who resides outside the area was notified by an on scene TVF&R Chief.
A second alarm was called early in the incident due to concerns over having to possibly evacuate a significant number of senior citizens. According to Park Place staff, approximately 109 seniors live at the center. Firefighters helped evacuate approximately a dozen residents from 14 units in the affected wing of the second story. The residents were moved to the first floor of the building where it was warm and they could be monitored and comforted as needed. Seniors residing in the other wings of the building were able to remain in their units. One of the evacuated residents was administered oxygen by firefighters, but did not require transport to a medical facility.
Firefighters were on scene for approximately two hours removing smoke and water from the impacted room and adjacent hallway, and water run-off from the sprinkler system in the unit below the fire unit. Residents were allowed back in their room by 6:30 am.
The fire remains under investigation at this time. Public Information Officer Karen Eubanks states, “This fire could have been even more tragic had it not been for the Park Place staff alerting residents and evacuating them to a safe area in the building.” A sprinkler system is also credited for keeping the fire in check until firefighters could arrive and extinguish the fire completely.
Individuals with family members at Park Place can call 503-245-7612 for further information.
