Structure Fire 4014 Wright Street

5-9-2008

Contact Battalion Chief Tom Kempton 317-7233

A passerby phoned 911 this afternoon at 4:09 PM to report heavy smoke coming from the second floor of a duplex at 4014 Wright Street, south of Providence Hospital.  Anchorage Police Officer Justin Doll arrived before firefighters and made sure no one was in the unit on fire.  He then made his way next door and was able to alert the neighbors in the adjoining unit that there was a fire.  The female occupant had been taking a shower and was unaware of the fire danger. Officer Doll assisted the occupant and carried her infant from the building to safety.

The first arriving unit was Engine 12 who had been in the area picking up some equipment. Captain  Pat Gregg set up command and began firefighting operations. Firefighters made their way to the second floor bedroom of the south unit where the fire apparently originated.Heavy fire and smoke from this bedroom and a celing that collapsed made firefighting difficult.  Firefighters made a quick search of the building and were able to rescue three pets that had been inside. No other occupants were present.  The fire had burst through the second floor window and into the ceiling area of both units and apparently traveled outside the window into the unit next door where Officer Doll had evacuated the residents.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control in about 20 minutes. Eventually twelve units of the Anchorage Fire Department were involved in controlling the fire.

Several of the pets that were rescued from the structure were revived by firefighters using specially developed oxygen masks.  Animal control was summoned to the scene and transported the animals, described as a small dog and two cats.  

Damage to this duplex is extensive and is estimated at approx. $100,000.  The residents of the unit where the fire orignated were not at home at the time of the fire. No obvious cause of the fire has been determined and the investigation is continuing.