From the Blotter

Rig destroyed, building saved

WASILLA — Firefighters were able to stop a blaze just in time Wednesday, saving the fire from destroying a commercial building at Mile 45 Parks Highway.

Central Mat-Su Assistant Fire Chief Michael Keenan said the call to respond went out at 12:33 a.m. He said a man had been welding on a drilling rig at Pioneer Pacific Well Drilling the day before.

As far as firefighters could tell, Keenan said, it looked like, “Some slag got down into some place smoldering and ignited after he’d left the building.”

He said firefighters knocked the fire down within a half hour of arriving on scene. The blaze burned up the rig but only slightly damaged the building.

“The structure had significant smoke and heat damage but not significant fire damage,” Keenan said.

As for the rig, Keenan said the business owner thinks he can salvage it.

Nearly 30 Central firefighters were joined on scene by colleagues from the Houston, Willow and Lakes fire departments.

“It was a very good stop, Textbook fire,” Keenan said.

Angry woman wounds tree

WASILLA — Police say an argument Tuesday on Southway Street led to a round being fired into the trees.

Laura Dakos, 26, of Wasilla, and a 44-year-old man were in an argument, according to a Wasilla Police Department press release. At some point Dakos fired a round into the trees behind the man to scare the man off, police report.

Dakos is being charged with weapons misconduct.

Vending machine home again

WASILLA — A vending machine stolen out of the Curtis Menard Memorial Sports Complex turned up in Houston on Tuesday, police say.

According to a Wasilla Police Department press release, shortly after 8:20 a.m. Wednesday the owner of Marathon Vending in Eagle River called to say Alaska State Troopers had found his vending machine near Looking Glass Drive and King Arthur Drive the night before.

The owner said he didn’t know his machine was missing until troopers called. He estimated the value of the machine and its contents at $5,200.