Heat wave turns deadly with West Linn drowning

Published 6:10 am Saturday, July 6, 2024

The heat wave turned deadly Friday when a man drowned in the Willamette River near the West Linn boat ramp – the first reported death associated with high temperatures expected to continue through Tuesday, July 9.

According to Tualatin Fire & Rescue, just before 3 p.m. on July 5, a caller to 911 reported a person flailing in the water near the dock at the ramp in the 2000 block of Volpp Street. The 911 caller said that the person had gone under the water and was no longer visible.

Firefighters from TVF&R’s Water Rescue Team located at the nearby Willamette fire station arrived within minutes, and rescue swimmers began searching. Despite deep, murky water, rescuers located an adult male, pulled him out of the water, and began resuscitation efforts. He did not survive.

Law enforcement officials will not be releasing the drowning victim’s name until his family has been notified.

That same day, TVF&R also fought two brush fires in unincorporated Washington County. The first was in the 32000 block of Southwest Firdale Road. The other was near Southwest Scholls Sherwood and Southwest Roy Rogers roads. Both were caused by farm equipment.