HILLSBORO, Ore. (KOIN) — A woman was found dead inside a Hillsboro apartment Monday evening after flames were spotted coming out of one of the windows.
Hillsboro Fire and Rescue crews arrived around 5:30 p.m. at the Bendemeer Court Apartments, 221 Southeast 12th Avenue, and found 74-year-old Sharon Inglish inside.
“We arrived to find an apartment in the back, flames were blowing out the front windows of the apartment,” Hillsboro Fire Department spokesperson Bruce Montgomery told KOIN 6 News. “We quickly made our way inside, extinguished the fire.”
The apartment is “kind of a middle unit” with “units on both sides,” Montgomery said and added the fire did not spread to other units.
Investigators said the fire appears suspicious and Hillsboro police detectives are investigating.
Jasmin Mercado said she and her boyfriend were sitting in their apartment and heard somebody yell “Fire!” so they ran outside.
“The windows were breaking and a lot of commotion coming from that apartment,” she told KOIN 6 News. “I was feeling scared because I knew that it was an older lady who lives there.”
She said Inglish lived alone and “seemed really nice.”
Even though investigators believe this fire is suspicious, they don’t believe there is any danger to the public.
Hillsboro Fire is on scene of a fatal apartment fire at 221 SE 12th. Hillsboro Fire and Police departments working investigating cause. pic.twitter.com/S6v0rpfRZr— Hillsboro Fire Dept (@HillsboroFire) March 26, 2019
I just spoke with a woman who lives near the apartment that caught fire. She says an elderly woman lived there who was quiet and mostly kept to herself. Crews are still investigating, Hillsboro Police, Hillsboro Fire and Medical Examiner remain on scene. #Koin6news— Zach Horner (@ZachH_KOIN6) March 26, 2019
Anyone with information about the fire should contact police at 503.629.0111.