FOREST GROVE, Oregon - This evening after 6:30pm, Forest Grove Firefighters were dispatched to a reported fire in an apartment at the Jesse Quinn Apartments in downtown Forest Grove. Crews arrived shortly after to find no signs of a fire, but when the made it to the second floor they encountered light smoke in a hallway. When they made it to the reported apartment, they found heavy smoke. They made entry to find a fire in a kitchen had been extinguished by fire sprinklers. Firefighters checked to make sure the fire hadn't spread through the walls, thankfully it didn't. Firefighters then worked on mitigating the water from the sprinkler activation. Water was found in two neighboring apartments as well as a tap house business below.

After investigation, it was found that the occupants of the apartment were moving in today and had set a box on the stove, most likely accidentally turning it on at the same. The box started to burn as they were bringing up additional items up to the apartment. The fire sprinklers prevented the fire from spreading to additional contents in the room.

The smoke and water damage and further evaluation of electrical system left three apartments not inhabitable for the time being, those three families are being assisted by the Red Cross. The Growler Garage (tap house) is also closed until water damage can be mitigated and electrical wiring can be assessed.

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue was assisted on scene by Cornelius Fire Department, Hillsboro Fire & Rescue, Banks Fire District, Forest Grove Police Department and Washington County Sheriffs Office.