Fairbanks Fire Causes Home To Collapse
On Thursday, January 4, multiple units from the Fairbanks Fire Department responded to a house fire at 1570 Farmer’s Loop Road. The fire resulted in significant damage, rendering the house uninhabitable due to structural collapse.
The resident of the home was promptly alerted by the smoke alarm and managed to exit the building before the firefighters arrived. Although the resident experienced smoke inhalation, there were no additional injuries reported. Tragically, the family’s pet dog did not survive the incident.
University Fire Department Marshal Kyle Green attributed the fire’s origin to a fault in the forced-air furnace, which ignited the appliance. Green also noted the firefighters faced obstacles accessing the fire due to an extensive accumulation of personal items inside the house. He explained, “The home was cluttered with belongings, hindering the firefighters’ movement. This limited access prompted them to opt for an exterior fire attack, especially as the fire was mostly in the structural walls in the northwest corner of the building.”
Firefighting teams spent approximately three hours to suppress the fire and an additional three hours to extinguish residual hot spots. “Unfortunately, during this time, part of the second-floor roof and then the second floor itself collapsed into the first floor,” Green said. “This made firefighting challenging due to the clutter, the deep-seated nature of the fire, and its spread throughout the structure.”
The resident has since found temporary accommodation with nearby family members.
Support for battling the blaze came from various departments, including the City of Fairbanks Fire Department, Fort Wainwright Fire Department, Chena Goldstream Fire and Rescue, and Steese Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. The Alaska State Troopers assisted in managing traffic on Farmers Loop Road, while technicians from the Golden Valley Electric Association worked to disconnect power to the affected structure.
The University Fire Department took this opportunity to remind the public of the importance of functioning smoke alarms. They encouraged anyone uncertain about the condition of their smoke alarms to contact the American Red Cross’s Fairbanks office for testing and potential replacements.
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