State confirms identity of man dead in fire

BIG LAKE -- State medical examiners compared dental records and confirmed Thursday the identification of a man who died in a house fire last Friday.

Donald Mikkelson, 56, perished in the fire, which consumed his home Friday, March 8, on Rochella Place off Beaver Lake Road. Emergency crews arrived just before midnight and found the home already engulfed.

Members of the Big Lake, Meadow Lakes and Houston fire departments were able to get the fire under control and later located Mikkelson's body near the entrance, along with the body of one of the dogs. Investigators believe the fire's cause was accidental.

Animal care and regulation officers were called to the scene to round up several dogs found around the home. One dog was burned but able to receive treatment, according to animal care staff. Another eight dogs described as husky mixes were located on the property by animal care officers.

Puppies and adult dogs found at the scene are now available for adoption at the Mat-Su Borough's animal shelter.

Jim Rau, chief officer at the Mat-Su Borough Animal Care and Regulation shelter, said the dogs appear to be recovering from stress caused by the fire. Mikkelson's relatives released them to the shelter, he said.

The pups and dogs were most likely pets, Rau said, as opposed to being kept for recreational mushing. Neighbors believed there may be up to 16 dogs that Mikkelson kept as pets, mostly puppies about three months old.

"We set up some live animal traps and still have several out there we're trying to bring in," Rau said. "All the dogs are adoptable. The puppies were a little wild. They were stressed from the fire when we first gathered them up but now they are taming down."

For more information, people may contact the shelter at 746-5500.