2nd Alarm Called for Large Apartment Building Fire

Sunday 5-11-08

Contact Battalion Chief Tom Kempton 317-7233

Reports of fire and smoke from a basement laundry room and exterior entrance sent 19 units of the Anchorage Fire Department to the Alpine Apartments 5311 Mockingbird lane.

Engine 4 from the Tudor Road fire station was first on the scene and as firefighters evacuated the  large apartment complex Captin Blake Linsoe called a 2nd alarm to bring added manpower for this 25 unit, 4 story building.  Fire was climbing the exterior of the building near the entrance and residents were reporting heavy smoke on all floors.

Firefighters outside quickly knocked the exterior fire down and disconnected electrical power to the building before they begain removing the siding and extinguishing pockets of fire in the walls and crawl space. Firefighters made entry to the electrical and laundry room in the basement and after opening up the floors and making an access into the crawl space beneath the building, were able to extinguish the fire in that area. 

A second alarm assignment of addtional manpower and equipment stood by for assistance but ultimately was not needed.  Captain Linsoe said that it appeared that the fire started on the exterior, possibly from a carelessly discarded cigarrette in combustible landscaping materials and peat soil where it ignited the framing and siding materials and then moved into the walls and the crawl space.

Damage was estimated at $75,000. There were no reported injuries. The owners of the apartment building will attempt to restore power so that tenants can reoccupy their units by tonight. There will be some minor smoke damage to adjoining units.