For the last five years, the leading cause of fatal fires in Alaska during the month of February has been chimney fires.

The United States Army, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management’s Alaska Fire Service, will initiate a pile burn on Fort Richardson’s Grazelka training range starting as early as February 21, 2010, and extending to April 15, when weather conditions are favorable for burning and adequate smoke dispersal.

• Remember to keep children away from the cooking area in a safe zone.
• Turn pot handles inward in order to avoid knocking them over.
• Use hot mitts to protect hands
• Don’t drink hot coffee or tea while holding babies and toddlers.
• Turn on cold water first then add hot water.
• Test bath water before putting children in it.
• Place children  facing away from faucets in the tub
• Never leave children alone in the tub for a single instant

Early Morning Residential Fire with Rescue of Two Trapped Victims by Station 3

The Anchorage Fire Department responded to an early morning residential fire at 3434 East 17th Ave at approximately 4:42am. The caller reported being trapped in her bedroom with the house full of smoke along with two other family members. Engine 3 and Truck 3 from the Airport Heights Fire Station, arrived first on scene and rescued two entrapped individuals, one from a bedroom, the second from a hallway in the house. The third occupant was out of the house along with the family dog. Both victims were transported to local hospitals and one victim has since been medevaced to Harbourview Burn Center in Seattle. There was one firefighter injury from broken window glass during the bedroom victim rescue. The firefighter has been treated and released from hospital. The fire cause is currently under investigation.

Michelle Weston

Deputy Chief

Anchorage Fire Department

317-7247

Three structure fires in less than 24 hours 
No injuries were reported and working smoke alarms and sprinkler systems helped prevent injuries and reduce damage

     Shortly after 8:30 this morning, several 911 calls were received at AFD Communications reporting heavy smoke and flames originating from the exterior of the home at 1706 Richardson Drive. First arriving firefighters from Station 6 reported heavy smoke and flames and quickly pulled a fire line to the rear of the structure adjacent to the garage. Meanwhile, crews from Truck 3 entered the home and determined that there were no occupants home at the time and that the fire did not extend into the main living area on either floor of the home. Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the flames and inspect the ceiling insulation for additional extension. Due to quick suppression action from firefighters and the alert neighbors who immediately called 911 to report the smoke and flames, the fire was isolated to the exterior mechanical room and the area between the ceiling and the roof above the garage. Once utilities are restored, the residents should be able to reoccupy the home immediately.

     A working sprinkler system in a commercial structure at 3760 Piper Street quickly extinguished another fire in a kitchen area shortly after 4 am this morning. A commercial fire alarm alerted AFD Communications to the fire on the second floor of this three story structure. When crews arrived, they noted only a faint smell of smoke and discovered an activated sprinkler system in a break room had extinguished the small fire, which appeared to originate in a toaster. The automatic sprinkler system resulted in almost no damage from the fire and only minor water damage to the surrounding area.

     Another fire occurred at approximately 6:45 pm yesterday evening at 1001 Boniface Parkway in the Mayflower Trailer Court. The fire originated beneath the mobile home in the crawl space and rapidly spread up into the laundry room. Two young children were initially alerted to the fire by smoke alarms and they quickly notified an adult in the house. All three residents were able to exit the mobile home safely before firefighters arrived. Crews arrived in less than 5 minutes and made a fast attack on the fire; in this short period of time it was already spreading through the interior of the home and the crawl space. The residents reported that when they evacuated, the smoke in the home was collecting only at the ceiling of the home, less than 5 minutes later when firefighters entered the home smoke filled the entire room. Working smoke alarms and the fact that the two young children understood how they work resulted in all three residents escaping unharmed.

     The Anchorage Fire Department reminds you to ensure all smoke alarms in your residence have working batteries and Municipal Fire Code requires that you install smoke alarms inside of all sleeping rooms, hallways adjacent to sleeping rooms, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms give you and your family time to escape alive and uninjured. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!