November 16, 2009
Structure Fire - 3424 Thompson Avenue
Contact: Bridget Bushue - 317-7239


At approximately 3 PM on Sunday - November 15th, 2009 10 units from the Anchorage Fire Department responded to a reported strucutre fire at 3424 Thompson Avenue in Mt. View. This was a 3-story 30-unit apartment complex. All occupants of the building exited safely.

The fire originated in the lower unit - in the bathroom - above the ceiling. The cause of the fire was an overheated exhaust fan/motor. The fire spread from the lower unit up the plumbing chase to the 2nd and 3rd floors. The fire was within the concealed areas of the floor/ceilings and the plumbing chase that served 6 units. Firefighters had to remove ceilings and walls to gain access to the fire. They stopped the fire from reaching the roof of the structure.

Damages are estimated to be between $30-35,000. The 6 units involved may not be occupied - but the remainder of the building is in service. All other apartments had full heat and power as of late yesterday evening.

There were no injuries repoprted. There were 31 people displaced and the American Red Cross responded and assisted the displaced occupants. Smoke detectors did operate during the fire event.

The Anchorage Fire Department wants to remind everyone to check their smoke detectors and practice their evacuation plans. This is the time of year when the Fire Department sees a definite increase in heating systems, and cold related structure fires.