Child Dies in Trailer Fire

7227 Bern Street

Janurary 30th 2008

For More Information Please Contact:

Tom Kempton 907-317-7233

At 5:30 PM units of the Anchorage Fire Department responded to a reported fire in a mobile home at 7227 Bern Street, in South Anchorage.  First arriving units reported that the structure was fully involved in flames, occupants that had escaped reported that a child was unaccounted for and might still be inside the structure. It was reported that this was the home of a large extended family and that the grandparents were caring for the children.  The grandfather reported that there was a fire on a mattress in the center of a back bedroom where the children were playing.  He attempted to extinguish the fire but was unsuccessful.  One of the teenagers in the family made his escape from the bedroom that was in flames by breaking an exterior window.  He reportedly was able to rescue at least one of the younger children although he was injured in making his escape.  He was transported to a local hospital suffering from lacerations to his hands and arms.

Firefighters attempted to enter the back bedroom to search for the missing child but were driven back by heavy fire conditions.  The fire collapsed the roof over the structure and after the fire was knocked down firefighters were able to locate the body of the young child that had perished in the flames. Over 15 pieces of fire apparatus responded to this fire.  The Alaska Chapter of the American Red Cross is providing assistance to the displaced family members.   The mobile home is a total loss.  The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Adults present in the home at the time of the fire stated that they had smoke detectors in the home but they did not hear them sounding during the fire.  Residents are reminded that smoke detectors give you and your family time to escape in the earliest stages of a fire when there still is time to evacuate.  Please check your smoke detectors for proper working operation and change the batteries at least annually.