'Home A Total Loss': One Person Killed In Devastating House Fire

TROUTDALE, OR — One person was killed in a fire that completely destroyed a home just south of Troutdale on Tuesday. Multnomah County Sheriff's officials have begun their investigation but have yet to identify the person who was found.

The one and one-half story home sat just north of the Sandy River, about 3 miles southeast of Troutdale at 30245 East Woodard Rd. — a winding, scenic rural roadway running parallel to Interstate-84 and the Columbia River.

It was only 8 minutes from when emergency dispatchers got the call to when fire crews arrived just before 12:30 a.m., but it's impossible to know whether that would have made a difference. When fire crews pulled up, a neighbor reportedly told them someone was still inside — and the roof was already collapsing.

Corbett Fire District crews required two separate water tenders to beat back the blaze, along with three fire engines and some 24 firefighters, fire authorities said. The $250,000 home was reportedly a complete loss, along with all its contents.

"After the fire was substantially knocked down, firefighters began to search for the missing resident and the cause of the fire. Due to information gathered on scene during our initial search, we decided to ask the Oregon State Fire Marshal and the Gresham Fire Department for fire cause determination assistance," said Corbett Fire District Assistant Chief Rick Wunsch. "We also advised the Multnomah County Sheriff's Deputies on scene to notify their Detectives."

The Oregon State Fire Marshal took over the investigation around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, fire authorities said.

This post will be updated when more information becomes available.

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Image via Corbett Fire District