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