FROM: Jerry Hanson,
Deputy Chief DATE: June 27, 2007
North
Star Volunteer Fire Dept.
2358 Bradway Road
488-3400
SUBJECT: STRUCTURE
FIRE – 3553 Go Thatta Way
Street, Moose Creek
For
Immediate Release: North Pole, Alaska.
On
Wednesday morning, June 27, 2007, at 9:37 am, the North Star Volunteer Fire
Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 3553 Go Thatta Way in Moose Creek. Dispatch reported a fully involved building with
other buildings nearby. The North Star
Volunteer Fire Department responded with 4 engines from two stations and 17
firefighters. Mutual Aid assistance was
also requested from the North Pole FD and Eielson AFB FD to the scene and Fort
Wainwright FD to cover Station One.
Responding
units were delayed having to travel through the construction and rerouting on Badger Road and the
Richardson Highway
in the North Pole area, and first units were on scene at 9:52 am. Firefighters reported a single story single
family home with a full basement fully involved with fire and other buildings
threatened nearby. A defensive attack
was called for and firefighters extinguished the fire while also protecting
nearby exposures. The fire was called
under control at 10:04 am, and it was out by 10:21 am. Overhead power lines were weakened by the
fire and collapsed to the ground and across a chain link fence. GVEA crews were requested to respond to
secure the power to the lines and to the building.
An
interview with the home owner revealed the fire was most likely started by a 4
year old child playing with matches in a bedroom. The home owner noticed there was a fire, got
the family out of the building and then went back in to extinguish the fire
with a fire extinguisher, however the fire grew in intensity very quickly and
it was too hot to get near enough to use the extinguisher. The home owner escaped the building and
called 911.
The
building is a total loss and total damages including contents are estimated at
$180,000. The home is insured. The family of three, two adults and one child
was offered Red Cross assistance, which they denied and they were going to seek
other lodging. There
were no injuries as a result of this fire.
All
pictures are courtesy of the North Star Volunteer Fire Department.
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