Tom Kempton will be out of the office until January 23, 2008.  Cleo Hill and Bridget Bushue will be filling in for him in his absence.  Cleo can be contacted at 267-4911 office, 792-0388 pager or 317-8684 cell.  Bridget Bushue can be contacted at 267-4972 office, 762-0494 pager or 317-7239 cell. 

618 Gambell St

12/19/2007

At 1903 hrs the Anchorage Fire Dept. received several 911 calls reporting a multi-residential apartment complex with heavy smoke billowing out of the second floor of a building to the rear of 618 Gambell St; the Milepost 0 Apartments. 11 units responded to the report and the first due Engine arrived on location at 1906 hrs and called a working fire.

After the arrival of several units they began to knock down the fire and it was called under control at 1914 hrs. The last unit cleared the complex at 2121 hrs. Currently damage is estimated at $70,000, there were approximately 3 people from two separate apartments that were displaced and assisted by the Red Cross. Currently the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Chugiak Volunteer Fire Department

Moose Horn Fire

12-19-2007

A fire was reported at 17130 Old Glenn Highway last night, just before 6 pm.  This location is the Moose Horn, long a landmark in the Birchwood area.   The Chugiak Volunteer Fire Department was quickly on the scene from a fire station located just across the Glenn Highway.

Eventually more than 20 pieces of fire apparatus from the Chugiak Volunteer Fire Department and from the Anchorage Fire Department, South Fork Auxillary, Elmendorf and Fort Richardson fire stations and from as far away as the Central Matanuska-Susitna Emergency Services were called to assist.  The lack of fire hydrants in the area limited the water supply to this fast moving fire and tenders were employed to truck water from Chugiak High School and the Chugiak Senior Center miles away from the scene. 

Residents who were on location reportedly smelled smoke and while investigating found a fire near one of the apartments attached to this historic structure. They attempted to fight the fire with portable fire extinguishers before firefighters arrived. The fire was well established into the attic and overhead areas of the structure and as firefighters made access to make sure all the occupants had been evacuated additional units were dispatched to assist with water supply and manpower.  The fire eventually involved the entire facility including the attached garage-repair area adjacent to the bus storage yard on the North end of the structure.

During the firefighting efforts, Truck Eleven from the Eagle River Fire Station of the Anchorage Fire Department suffered a mechanical breakdown after a fire broke out in the pump and hydraulic area of the apparatus, unrelated to the structure fire.  This unit was heavily damaged. 

Fire Investigators from the State Fire Marshal and the Anchorage Fire Department were on location working to determine the cause of the fire and firefighters were still involved in extingusihing hotspots in the remains of the building this morning.

No dollar amount for the property loss is available yet.

Tom Kempton- Battalion Chief, Public Affairs, Anchorage Fire Department

907-317-7233   

Anchorage Fire Department

12-12-2007

Contact Jennifer Klugh 317-9929

Station 4 Grand Re-Opening

Press Release
Anchorage Fire Department
December 8, 2007

Structure Fire Damages East Anchorage Townhome

At 7:00 am this morning a caller phoned 911 to report smoke and flames coming from the second story of a townhome.  This three-story structure is part of a 4 unit complex at 6402 Village Parkway.  Within four minutes, first arriving units from Station 14 arrived, followed by apparatus from 5 area fire stations totaling 14 fire and EMS units.  Two people were inside of the structure at the time of the fire.  Incoming crews were alerted to a female trapped on the third floor of the structure involved and quickly used a ladder from Engine 14 to assist her escape from the structure.  She was able to exit herself down the ladder and was transported to the hospital due to minor smoke inhalation. The second occupant had already evacuated the structure when crews arrived and the three neighboring townhomes also evacuated.  Firefighters quickly worked to extinguish the flames and keep the fire contained to the unit of origin.  The second floor living area was severely damaged and smoke damage extended to the third floor above.  The fire was called under control within 25 minutes. 

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Contact Jennifer Klugh for more information at 317-9929