A fire broke out at a restaurant in the Evergreen Parkway Shopping Center on Sunday, July 5, prompting evacuations across the busy center before Hillsboro Fire & Rescue crews contained the blaze. No one was injured.

Firefighters responded to a Washington County 911 call at 10:30 a.m. after callers reported smoke pouring from a building at the center, according to a KOIN report citing Hillsboro Fire & Rescue officials. Additional 911 callers, employees and shoppers reported that fire alarms were sounding, people were leaving the building, and smoke was growing heavier and darker.

Authorities described the scene as chaotic, KOIN reported.

The response was upgraded to a first alarm, bringing additional crews and equipment to the scene. Firefighters quickly knocked down the main fire but found that flames had spread into the space above the ceiling and into the building's ductwork.

Crews cut ventilation holes in the roof to release trapped smoke, then spent about an hour extinguishing hot spots throughout the building, officials told KOIN.

Restaurant name, cause not yet released

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue had not released the name of the restaurant where the fire started as of Sunday evening. Investigators said the cause remains under investigation, and no timeline has been set for results.

Some businesses at the shopping center were affected by the emergency response even though they were not directly involved in the fire, according to the report. Which businesses were disrupted, and for how long, has not been detailed.

What residents should know

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue offers free fire safety education for business owners and residents, including guidance on evacuation planning, through its community risk reduction program at hillsboro-oregon.gov/our-city/departments/fire. The department recently brought South Hillsboro Fire Station 9 into service, expanding response capacity on the city's growing south side.

A Washington County high-fire-danger burn ban has been in effect since Monday, June 15, restricting outdoor burning countywide. The ban is unrelated to Sunday's fire but reflects elevated fire risk conditions in the region.

Upcoming community events

Blood drive: Wednesday, July 8, noon to 5 p.m., at Hillsboro Fire & Rescue's Cherry Lane Fire Station 6.