State suspects arson in Houston fire

HOUSTON -- Investigators with the Alaska state fire marshal's office have confirmed that they suspect arson in a November fire that destroyed the home of two Houston teen-agers. Fire marshals said the house was occupied during the fire but would not confirm how many people were inside the house when the blaze started Nov. 23.

The house was owned by 19-year-old Christopher Page and his 18 year-old brother, Mario Page. The Page brothers could not be reached for this story, although messages have been left for them with family and at shelters in the Valley and in Anchorage.

Fire investigators were tight-lipped about the investigation, which is still in progress. Investigators said physical evidence such as burn patterns made them decide to investigate the fire as arson and that interviews were being conducted as a part of the investigation.

"We are investigating this fire as an arson fire," Carol Olson, southcentral region supervisor for the fire investigators said. "We are in the process of completing our interviews and our investigation."

The Page brothers' house was on Hidden Drive in Bear Paw Lake subdivision. Neighborhood sources say the house was willed to the two young men after their father died in 1997. The brothers own the property according to the Mat-Su Borough tax assessment office. The house was on a .6-acre lot with an assessed value of $4,000 and improvements to the property -- including the house -- were assessed at $9,000. The two brothers had fallen behind on property taxes. As of last week they owed the borough $376. Their last payment was as in March of last year.

Last fall the house came to the attention of Houston City Hall when some neighbors complained of noisy parties and made accusations of under-aged drinking, drug use and gun play on the property.

Houston Mayor Dale Adams said neighbors had called the Alaska State Troopers for patrols during the alleged parties. Adams also said that the teens likely violated the city noise ordinance, but troopers won't assist the city in enforcing the codes, and the city lacks resources for enforcement.

"What's a small community like ours, or Willow or Talkeetna, supposed to do when we don't have a police force and can't afford to get one? We depend upon the state troopers, but we can only expect them to come if we've been shot in the head," Adams said.

The mayor said that in the case of Hidden Drive, he only knew about the house because of what he'd heard from residents who came into city hall.

"These boys -- I don't know how to explain it, but they need some kind of guidance," he said.

Alaska State Trooper spokesman Greg Wilkinson confirmed that troopers had received complaints about activities at the house prior to the fire. Wilkinson said any information about the fire could be directed to the troopers, who are working closely with fire investigators.

"There is an active and in-depth investigation into this matter," Wilkinson said. "Troopers are conducting an investigation and at the same time encouraging anybody who has information about the fire to contact us. We are also encouraging anybody who has information about illegal activity going on inside that house to contact us."