Forest Grove apartment fire leaves 1 dead

Published 9:11 am Monday, July 28, 2025

A fast-moving fire claimed the life of a resident and sent a firefighter to the hospital Friday evening after flames tore through an older home that had been converted into apartments in Forest Grove.

Around 5:16 p.m. Friday, July 25, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue responded to a reported house fire in the 1900 block of A Street. While driving to the scene, crews saw a large column of billowing smoke that prompted them to upgrade the call to a second alarm.

The first engine arrived to find flames consuming one side of the building. Prior to Forest Grove crews arriving, an off-duty firefighter and a retired deputy fire marshal from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue jumped into action, helping residents evacuate from the second floor using a ladder.

One resident was found dead shortly after firefighters arrived. Their identity has not been released, but officials say their family has been notified.

Firefighters battled flames from both the structure’s interior and exterior, but the fire had already reached the attic and weakened the roof’s structural integrity. For safety, crews were forced to withdraw and continue firefighting efforts from outside the building.

It took more than an hour to bring the fire under control; responders remained on scene for an additional two hours to extinguish hot spots within the walls and attic.

A firefighter was also transported to a local hospital to be evaluated for heat exhaustion.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Forest Grove fire marshal and Forest Grove Police Department detectives.

The Cornelius Fire Department, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Banks Fire District, Gaston Fire District, Forest Grove Police Department, Washington County Medical Examiner’s Office, AMR Ambulance and Forest Grove Light & Power all assisted in the response.