Residential fire on East Frances Lane causes big commotion, but no injuries

PALMER — Central Mat-Su and Palmer Fire departments responded to a fire on East Frances Lane after a 911 call was placed at 6:11 p.m., Thursday, according to Ken Barkley, acting director of the Mat-Su Borough Department of Emergency Services.

“It was an all-clear. Nobody was hurt,” Barkley said.

Land owner Mark Dunlap was the only one on the property when the incident occurred. He said that he sustained no injuries.

“Not a good night,” Dunlap said.

Nestled between Bogard Road and the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, Dunlap has lived on the property for 30 years. He said that he was in house when he heard the explosion and found that his shop was ablaze.

“I know everything inside is toast,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap’s neighbor Rebecca Bull was the one who called 911 after hearing the explosion.

“It shook my house,” Bull said.

Bull said that she directed traffic away from the fire until the authorities arrived. Standing at the edge of her driveway about 50 to 75 yards away, Bull was armed with a flashlight, still waving incoming cars with her light while the red and blue emergency beams flashed in the night.

“I was a first responder,” Bull said.

Bull spent 18 years in the department of defense, stationed on Fort Richardson. Still wearing her house slippers, she watched the emergency crews douse the persistent flames. She said that she acted as quickly as she could.

“I got on my coat and slippers and ran,” Bull said.

Bull was concerned about Dunlap’s safety.

“It’s a pretty scary deal,” Bull said.

Dunlap said that his house is about 90 feet away from the shop and the subsequent flames.

“Thank God they’ve got that much distance,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap has an RV parked on the lot, just a few feet away from the shop. He said that one side was completely charred up by the radiant heat, rendering the vehicle useless.

“That RV’s toast,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap has fire insurance. He said that he’s going to contact his provider the following morning after assessing the final damage. He stood and talked to a firefighter as other firefighters hosed down the remaining flames. He said that the shop’s wood stove could have been the cause of the fire.

Barkley said that the cause of the fire is still unknown and will be investigated.

“But right now we don’t know,” Barkley said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com