Firefighters from TVF&R's West Linn Station 59 work outside the damaged home
Firefighters from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue battled a one alarm fire early this morning in a West Linn town home. No one was injured and 3 snakes, including a 5 foot King Snake, were rescued from the home.
Firefighters were dispatched to 2014 Virginia Lane in West Linn at 11:55 pm Wednesday after a resident of the home called 911 reporting a fire on the home’s first floor. Firefighters from TVF&R’s Willamette Station 59 arrived minutes later to find heavy flames and smoke belching from the rear of the town home. Because the occupants told firefighters everyone was out of the home, firefighters quickly entered through the front door with a hose line and began attacking the flames.
Meanwhile, other fire equipment including a truck from Clackamas Fire arrived at the scene while crews awoke occupants in the neighboring town home and had them evacuate. Firefighters were soon able to extinguish the flames and determine that the fire had not spread to the adjacent town home.
A firefighter examines a terrarium containing a snake
After the fire was extinguished, the occupant advised firefighters that 3 snakes lived upstairs and may have survived. Firefighters were able to rescue the snakes and move them to a safe location.
There is significant smoke and fire damage to the entire first floor of the home. The home’s occupants, a man and two children, are displaced. Unfortunately, the occupants do not have renters insurance.
“We recommend every renter take out a rental insurance policy,” says TVF&R Public Affairs Officer Brian Barker, “most insurance providers offer renters insurance for less than $20 per month, and if you have a fire in your home or apartment the policy will help you replace what you’ve lost.”
To learn more about renters insurance and other advice for tenants, visit TVF&R’s web page by clicking here.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
