The hosts started brilliantly as Peter Odemwingie finished off Jerome Thomas's through-ball on just five minutes.
But the Latics turned it around before half-time with two converted free-kicks by Charles N'Zogbia and Ben Watson.
As the Baggies piled forward, Fortune hit the post and then nodded in the equaliser from Thomas's cross with Jonas Olsson almost heading a winner.
However, with a seventh loss in eight games looking likely with 11 minutes left on the clock, West Brom will be grateful a point ensured they remained three points above the Premier League relegation zone and kept their opponents in the bottom three.
With only three points and two places separating the teams near the foot of the table before Tuesday's clash at the Hawthorns, both bosses prepared for battle by declaring how "massive" this game was.
Visiting manager Roberto Martinez would have enjoyed the opening four minutes as his team, boasting the recalled striker Hugo Rodallega and midfielder N'Zogbia, ventured menacingly forward.
But a swift counter-attack undid all their hard work as the Baggies opened up the scoring in devastating fashion.
In their first attack of the game, Thomas burst towards the halfway line and after a perfectly-weighted threaded ball through to Odemwingie, the Nigerian outmuscled Steve Gohouri to coolly slot in his ninth of season.
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