TVF&R fire investigators have concluded that a cigarette ignited a chair inside a Beaverton apartment Wednesday morning, causing a fire that displaced a family. A resident called 9-1-1 just before 6:30 a.m. Wednesday to report a fire in the living room of an apartment at 11965 SW Center Street in Beaverton. When firefighters arrived at the Willow Grove Apartments they found heavy smoke inside the apartment and a chair on fire.
Firefighters quickly determined that no-one was inside the apartment and extinguished the blaze. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to surrounding units although fire, heat and smoke did cause significant damage to the inside of the apartment unit where the fire originated.
After examining physical evidence and interviewing an occupant of the apartment, a TVF&R investigator learned that an improperly disposed of cigarette caused a chair in the apartment’s living room to ignite. Flames, heat and smoke spread to the rest of the apartment.
Only one of the two occupants was home at the time of the fire. She was awaken by smoke pouring under her bedroom door. She was able to grab a telephone and exit the apartment.
