Four Families Displaced by Fire in Four Plex

A few minutes before 2 a.m. this morning Anchorage Fire Department Dispatchers answered several 911 calls reporting a fire in a four plex located at 7316 E 21st Ave. Callers on location reported smoke and fire coming from and upstairs unit.

At 1:53 a.m. twelve units were dispatched to the Muldoon area complex and the first arriving engine from Station 6 at Patterson and Debarr reported heavy smoke and fire through the roof. A fast attack was initiated and as additional units arrived a water supply was established and suppression efforts continued. Despite the intense efforts of the interior crews the fire continued to intensify and exploding into a flashover affect. This created an environment too dangerous for interior crews to continue fighting the blaze from inside the structure and all fire crews were ordered out of the building and into defensive operations. Another 15 minutes passed before firefighters were able to re-enter the structure to continue battling the blaze. The fire was called under control 40 minutes after first units arrived.

A District Chief and Fire Investigator also responded to the fire. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but it believed to have started in one of the upstairs units. The two upper units of the four plex were destroyed by the fire and the lower units were extensively damaged by heat, water and smoke. All told four families were displaced and are being assisted by the Red Cross. Enstar Gas Co. officials had to respond to secure the gas line into the structure due to extensive fire damage at the meter. Chugach Electric also responded to the scene. There were no fire ground injuries, although 2 ferrets were found dead in one of the fire units. Damage estimates will likely exceed $250 thousand dollars. Just 17 hours earlier the first arriving engine company from Station 6 was not in service due to the rolling closures.