(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - At approximately 4:00 AM Sunday morning Karen Horn said she heard an explosion. Horn, living just north of Ketchikan, said she looked out her window and saw a house across Tongass Narrows on Gravina Island had exploded into flames.

The structure fire in the Rosa Reef area on Gravina Island as photographed just north of Ketchikan by Karen Horn.

The M/V Harry Newell responded early Sunday morning to a report of the structure fire in the Rosa Reef area on Gravina Island. The fire was initialy reported by the occupant who advised that everyone was out of the house.

The Ketchikan Fire Department reported on its FaceBook page, that no one was injured; however, the structure was a total loss.

Update: The fire boat M/V Harry Newell responded with a crew of four. According to a Ketchikan Fire Department press release, when the crew arrived on scene the structure was fully involved and the only occupant was out of the house waiting on the beach.

The Ketchikan Fire Department reported they believe the fire was caused by a candle that was left burning overnight as a light source.
Photo courtesy Ketchikan Fire Department

The limited manpower, distance of the structure from the shore and extent of fire upon arrival an offensive attack by the fire crew was not possible. Using buckets, fire department personnel extinguished a small fire on a stack of nearby lumber. They also disconnected and removed a portion of wooden walkway from the involved structure to ensure the fire would not spread along the walkway to other nearby outbuildings. The fire was allowed to burn down to a level that responders were comfortable it would not spread to any other structures before returning to Ketchikan.

Due to the extent of the damage and lack of access to fully extinguish and cool the fire a full cause and origin investigation was not possible, however based on statements from the occupant the Ketchikan Fire Department reported it believed that the fire was caused by a candle that was left burning overnight as a light source.

The Harry Newell returned to Ketchikan at around 7:30 AM Sunday.

A close up of the structure fire in the Rosa Reef area on Gravina Island as photograph by fire crew of the M/V Harry Newell.
Photograph courtesy Ketchikan Fire Department

Reporting & Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Ketchikan Fire Department
https://www.facebook.com/KetchikanFD

 

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