Firefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.com
WASILLA — Fire crews are expected to remain on scene into the afternoon mopping up a fire that destroyed a commercial building near downtown Wasilla Tuesday morning.
According to Mat-Su Borough officials, the fire was called in at 4:53 a.m., Jan. 20 at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Road, at the corner of Nelson Street. The building housed Crescent Electric Supply Company, Hope for Heroes and apparently also had an apartment in its second floor.
With the advent of sprinkler systems, commercial building fires have become a relatively rare occurrence, though older buildings aren’t held to the same standards as newer ones. And the building — valued at half a million dollars in Mat-Su Borough property records — was an old one.
“I know it was very old. At one point in time it was a warehouse for Sears, it has been a bus barn, it has been any number of things, so it has been around for at least two decades,” said Mat-Su Borough Deputy Director of Emergency Services Clint Vardeman.
Firefighters were on scene four minutes after the call went out. Videos from the scene posted to Facebook show large flames engulfing a good part of the building.
A family living in the apartment consisting of two adults and — according to Vardeman, “some children" — made it out without injury.
The borough called in dozens of pieces of fire apparatus. Crews responded from Palmer, Butte, West Lakes, Houston, Caswell Willow and even Chugach fire departments to aid Central Mat-Su Fire Department, which is responsibility for fire service in the area.
A power pole was damaged in the fire and the Matanuska Electric Association shut off power to about 200 customers to help in firefighting efforts, according to the association’s Facebook page.
Over on the Mat-Su Borough School District page there was notice that students at nearby Iditarod Elementary had been diverted temporarily to Wasilla Middle School as firefighters had to close down access to Iditarod.
Wasilla Fishhook and cross streets in the area were closed while firefighters strung fire hose across downtown roadways to reach the flames.
On scene, Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele said the building was leased to multiple tenants. He said those multiple interior walls and spaces made firefighting difficult. Part of the building had a second story, which contained the apartment and also storage, he said.
Steele said that the cause of the fire was unknown but that an investigation would get underway shortly.
“Right now we are looking at that second floor,” he said.
At 11:28 a.m. Steele’s voice came over emergency band radios, declaring the fire under control but predicting crews would be on scene for some hours still. Vardeman agreed with that assessment.
“With a building this size, the mop up will take some time,” Vardeman said.
Firefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.com
Crews battle flames at a commercial building that housed Crescent Electric near downtown Wasilla Tuesday morning. The fire drew responders from Caswell to Palmer.
Photo courtesy Ken Barkley, Mat-Su BoroughCrews battle flames at a commercial building that housed Crescent Electric near downtown Wasilla Tuesday morning. The fire drew responders from Caswell to Palmer. Photo courtesy Ken Barkley, Mat-Su BoroughFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.comFirefighters from multiple Mat-Su Borough fire departments responded to a fire in a commercial building at 700 N. Wasilla Fishhook Rd. early Tuesday morning. The building was occupied at the time of the fire, but everyone escaped unharmed, according to Central Mat-Su Fire Chief James Steele. HEATHER A. RESZ/Frontiersman.com
