Another structure burns as winter takes a toll

WASILLA — Firefighters responded to a house fire off of Fairview Loop on Wednesday. The call came in at 11:12 a.m., and flames were coming from the windows by the time trucks from the Central Mat-Su and Lakes Fire Districts arrived.

The house was an old log cabin with home-made additions at 3680 Demaree Circle off Hayfield Road, the last lot before Secluded Meadows Estates.

“The house is a homestead-style log cabin with add-on after add-on,” said Deputy Chief Michael Keenan, commander on the scene.

“The fire is constricted in the spaces between the additions. We’re trying to open those spaces up. All the ceilings are made of plywood, so we have to pull all the ceilings down. It’s going to be very manpower- and time-intensive.”

“Nothing’s built to code out here,” added the safety coordinator.

The investigation revealed the source of the fire as one of the two wood stoves in the house. No one was occupying the building, but the stoves were kept going to keep the house from freezing.

The caretaker noticed smoke coming from the house on his way back from getting more wood. Upon entering, the wall next to one of the stoves was covered in flames.

While the structure was still standing, the interior was completely burned out.

“We saved a six-wheeler we pulled from the house, but everything else was a loss,” said Keenan.

The fire was under control at 1 p.m. and trucks left at 4 p.m.