Fire claims home

WASILLA -- Central Mat-Su fire crews, with help from a crew from Meadow Lakes Fire Department, worked more than three hours Saturday night to put out a structure fire on Spruce Avenue.

The structure was a home owned by Jana Griffin, a parks and properties technician with the City of Wasilla -- known to many as Wasilla's "flower lady." Griffin, each year, leads a team of temporary city employees in planting and tending the city's flower baskets, gardens and displays.

Central Mat-Su Fire Chief Jack Krill Jr. said the fire started in the home's basement Saturday night. Griffin, he said, checked the ground-fault current interrupter outlet near the hot-water heater, and the outlet sparked. After seeing a blue spark behind the outlet, Krill said, Griffin discharged a fire extinguisher on the area and called for help about 7:45 p.m.

Crews were stalled by an unplowed driveway, Krill said, which slowed their response to the blaze. Although a department plow truck arrived at the site first, it got stuck in the 400-foot driveway. Crews tried to maneuver a fire engine up the snowy track closer to the house, but that engine got stuck as well and crews had to haul ladders, hoses and equipment up the driveway on foot.

"We were there within 10 minutes or so, but it took another 10 minutes to get the stuff up there," Krill said. "It was kind of a manpower intensive effort."

From Central Mat-Su, 23 firefighters responded, and a crew of five came from Meadow Lakes. Two Big Lake Ambulance crew members were on scene as well, Krill said, having responded because Central ambulance crews were responding to other calls.

Krill said the response was significantly slowed by the unplowed driveway, and cautioned property owners to keep potential emergencies in mind when snow falls.

"Residents have to think that they need their driveways cleared enough to let emergency vehicles through," Krill said.

One firefighter was injured in the effort, Krill said. Kirk Gibbs, a battalion chief with Central, was reportedly using a ladder to break out some second-story windows to depressurize the home. Gibbs, Krill said, was moving the ladder when a piece of glass fell from a window he had just broken fell, hit the ladder and hit his head. Gibbs was taken to the emergency room, where he was treated for a laceration on his nose and received three or four stitches to repair another laceration on his upper cheek.

Krill said although the structure may be salvageable, much of the interior was damaged by smoke and water. The home was insured, he said, and aside from Gibbs, there were no injuries reported. A family friend said much of the family's personal belongings were destroyed in the fire. A trust account has been set up at Mat-Valley Federal Credit Union to help Griffin and her two sons, Crosby, 12 and Glacier, 9. Those interested in contributing can donate to the account under Griffin's name.