FROM: Jerry Hanson, Deputy Chief DATE: February 21, 2006
For
Immediate Release: North Pole,
Alaska. Monday evening, February 21,
2006, at 5:22 PM, the North Star Volunteer Fire Department responded to a
reported chimney fire at 2350 Lori Lane, off of Hurst Road near Badger
Road. Despite extremely poor road
conditions due to heavy ice on all roads, Firefighters arrived on scene within
7 minutes and found a 30 by 60 foot split level two story home with smoke
coming from the eaves on all sides of the top floor.
Firefighters from North Star VFD and North Pole FD worked together
to make an aggressive interior attack and had the fire under control by 5:51
PM, a little over 22 minutes after arrival. The fire was confined to the
structural framing inside an enclosed wood stove pipe chase, extending from the
basement up to the roof of the second floor, with the fire just starting to go
into the attic when firefighters arrived.
The
homeowner reported starting up his wood stove at approx. 4:30 PM went outside
for more fire wood and saw smoke coming from the gable end vent on the second
floor attic.He immediately called 911,
summoning the fire department. A total
of 7 fire engines and over 30 firefighters responded from three fire
departments, using less than 200 gallons of water to extinguish the fire. All
occupants were reported to be out of the structure prior to the fire
department’s arrival. The North Pole
and Fort Wainwright Fire Departments provided mutual Aid assistance.
The structure was damaged but able to be occupied.The building and contents are estimated at over $250,000, and damage is estimated at $20,000.Firefighters saved over $225,000 on this
incident due to both an early alarm by the homeowner and by making an
aggressive interior attack. The chimney pipe appeared to be intact, and the cause of the fire is possibly due to
pyrolysis around the wood stove pipe, igniting the nearby framing. There were no injuries as a result of this
fire and the owners have homeowners insurance.Assistance from the Red Cross was offered, however the family of two
parents and two college age children received assistance from their friends and
neighbors.