Cause of House Fire Still
To Be Determined
By Dick Kauffman
June 24, 2006
Saturday
Ketchikan, Alaska - Throughout the day Friday officials were
still investigating the cause of the fire at 618 Front Street
which destroyed an unoccupied house Thursday afternoon. The home
is owned by Jack Shay of Ketchikan.
618 Front Street Fire
Photograph by Carl Thompson
The Ketchikan Fire Department (KFD) responded to the fire call
along with the North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department and the
South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department. The KFD received the
call around 4 pm Thursday. The fire was under control within
a couple of hours. According to the Ketchikan Fire Department,
some of the windows blew out and firefighters had to also break
windows to fight the fire.
618 Front Street Fire
Photograph by Carl Thompson
The location of the building made it difficult to get firefighting
equipment to the home. Firefighters had to walk up a board walk
to get to the fire scene. According to Fire Chief David Hull
of the North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department, to provide water
to fight the fire a 3 inch fire hose was stretched nearly 600
feet up the board walk and then split into two smaller 1 3/4
inch attack lines. He said the rear of the house was not readily
accessible to the firefighers from the front.
There were no injuries reported
and the cause of the fire had not been determined by Friday
evening. That information may be available by Monday.
Photo Gallery of
Firefighters
The firefighters from
Engine 2 in the early moments of the fire attack. A 3"
fire hose was stretched nearly 600' up the board walk and then
split into two smaller 1 3/4" attack lines.
Photogaph by Chief Dave Hull, NTVFD
The effort fighting
the fire behind the house from upper Main Street.
This is Engine 1's crew.
Photogaph by Chief Dave Hull, NTVFD
The recourse area where
members of all three department awaited orders to walk up the
board walk in the background and report to the fire scene. This
is at the corner of Front and Cedar.
Photogaph by Chief Dave Hull, NTVFD
Carrie Tocco (NTVFD)
and Tracy Strickland (KFD, in hat) attend to Glen Hofmann (KFD)
in the rehab center. Firefighters are sent to rehab after working
the fire for a specified for a mandatory rest period and medical
monitoring. The Rehab center was staffed with a member of all
three departments.
Photogaph by Chief Dave Hull, NTVFD
The result of the effort
put forth as Lt. Rupert Henry of KFD and John Wylie of STVFD
take a rest after putting in their time on fighting the fire.
Photogaph by Chief Dave Hull, NTVFD
Damage to the house
is evident in the photo taken from the rear of the house Friday
morning. In an earlier picture, the house was completely obscured
by smoke. Firefighters fought the fire from this position as
the rear of the house was not readily accessible from the front.
Photogaph by Chief Dave Hull, NTVFD
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