13 AFD units responded to smoke coming from a mobile home on Cleo Avenue. Engine 9 was first on scene and declared a working fire. Incoming units assisted Engine 9 with interior operations and the fire was rendered under control in under 30 minutes. Cause and damage estimates are unknown at this time. No one was injured.

12 units from the Anchorage Fire Department responded to a structure fire Tuesday evening around 6:40 PM. In route to the fire, crews observed a large column of black smoke rising from the area of East 15th Terrace and 15th Avenue.

The size of the building, the nearness of another apartment building and the amount of smoke and fire contributed to the decision of calling a 2nd alarm and request for additional fire fighting equipment and personnel.

The crews had the fire under control within 20 minutes and fire damage was confined to the upper two floors of the 6 plex. A neighboring building sustained heat damage to the exterior siding.

First arriving fire crews pulled hand lines and verified that no one needed rescue, while Engine 3 from Airport Heights set up the water supply and Rescue 4 from the Tudor fire station put water on the neighboring building to keep it from igniting. Fire crews worked late into the evening extinguishing hot spots and overhauling the building. In all, 10 people were assisted by the Red Cross. One cat is still missing and one tenant was evaluated for a minor injury on site.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and a damage amount is not yet available.

McHugh Creek Wildland Fire

Early Sunday morning, July 26th, 2009 Anchorage Firefighters responded to a report of trees on fire on the hillside above the Seward Highway adjacent to the McHugh Creek parking lot. 911 calls received by AFD Dispatchers were reported by passing motorists just before 4 a.m.

Fire apparatus from the Huffman Station were dispatched and upon their arrival discovered an area approximately 50’ x 50’ burning about 100’ up the hill from the road. Fire crews began moving hand-lines into place and as they began battling the blaze called for additional resources. The fire was spreading up the hill fanned by winds estimated at 30 mph. Two additional engine companies plus additional water tender assisted with fire suppression. It took fire crews nearly two hours to bring the blaze under control given the rough terrain and steady wind. The Chugach Park Ranger also responded to the scene and Forestry crews were requested although crews were not immediately available due to deployment at other fires within the state. AFD crews spent another hour on scene extinguishing hot spots.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, although a campfire was found in the area of origin. AFD crews returned to the fire scene three more times on Sunday totaling almost six hours to overhaul and extinguish hot spots. The fire burned just under an acre of Wildland.

Woman Dies in Fire

Early Friday evening, July 24th, 2009 Anchorage Fireman were dispatched to a report of smoke coming from the second floor of a duplex located at 1902 K Street. Nearby neighbors were first to see the smoke and also reported a woman possibly still inside. In all, fifteen fire apparatus responded to the incident.

Fire Companies from the Spenard Station arrived within five minutes and confirmed smoke venting from the second floor. Given the information from by-standers the resident was believed to still be in the structure immediate search and rescue operations were initiated. Fireman found a woman in the living room area within two minutes after entering the structure. The victim was non-responsive and transported by medics to a local hospital where she was later declared deceased. The fire was quickly contained to the living room area.

Fire investigators responded and determined the blaze originated in the area of a couch where the victim was found. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. There were no other casualties and damage estimates were not provided.

A little after 1:00 a.m. a 911 call was received advising a home on Brookridge Circle was on fire. Eleven units were immediately dispatched to the scene. E14 was the first to arrive on location, advising that black smoke was emitting from the roof of the two-story duplex. E14 called a working fire and made a fast attack. Command called the fire under control at approximately 1:36 a.m. The fire was found to have started in the chimney, involving only one side of the duplex. The fire did not extend into the adjacent unit. An estimate of the damage is unknown at this time.

1801 Mc Kinley Ave

At 0439 hrs a caller at 1801 Mc Kinley advised they had a fire in their home and were evacuating. Ten units from the Anchorage Fire Department responded and the first arriving unit found smoke and a lot of heat coming from the basement of the home. Units were able to knock down and extinguish the fire within the first ten minutes after arriving. The cause of the fire was an electrical short and damage is estimated at $20,000.

Shortly before 11pm on July 4th the Anchorage Fire Department responded to report of a fire in the Kincaid Motor Cross Park. Engine 7 from the Jewel Lake Fire Station was the first unit on location arriving in six minutes. Based on the initial size up of a large smoke plume additional resources were requested. The wildland fire was approximately three acres involving organic materials such as peet. A total of eight units responded and the fire was contained shortly after midnight. It is believed the fire was caused by illegal fireworks. A perimeter has been established and the Division of Forestry will send a mop up crew to tend to the area over the next couple days.

The Anchorage Fire Department reminds residents that all fireworks are illegal in the Municipality of Anchorage. Use of fireworks could result in a $500.00 fine.

• In 2006, fireworks caused an estimated 32,600 reported fires, including 1,700 total structure fires, 600 vehicle fires, and 30,300 outside and other fires. These fires resulted in an estimated 6 civilian deaths, 70 civilian injuries and $34 million in direct property damage.
• In 2007, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,800 people for fireworks related injuries; 56% of 2007 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 36% were to the head