(Forest Grove, OR) -- A person died in an apartment fire Friday afternoon in Forest Grove. When firefighters arrived at the house that had been converted into apartments, an off-duty firefighter and retired Deputy Fire Marshal, both from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue were helping residents evacuate from the second floor of the building using a ladder. The fire had compromised the roof which required an exterior attack. It took an hour to knock down the flames and another two hours to put out hot spots. When firefighters first arrived, they found one person inside who was deceased. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.