West Lakes Fire and EMS save home and pets

When the West Lakes Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire last night they found the entire east side of the home on fire with flames spreading from the eave under the roof into the attic space. Neighbor Elaine Burkhart told responders that the occupants were not home, but there were definitely animals inside.

Mrs. Burkhart had seen what looked like flames reflecting in a window and when she walked over to the home to get a better look she noticed the house was actually on fire. She and another quick thinking neighbor who saw the flames were able to free two dogs from a storage shed next to the house and heard more animals inside. When they began looking for a way to get them out, Mrs. Burkhart said, “The young man started to open the door to the house, but I told him not to do that.” She said she had seen the movie Backdraft and knew that if the door was opened it could make the fire much worse.

Assistant Chief Steve Barenburg lead the first fire attack/rescue team into the burning structure where they found two cats alive, but with severe pulmonary edema from smoke inhalation. The cats were treated by on-scene medics until they were well enough to be released to their owners for transport to a veterinarian. Fire/Rescue Crews also found one more cat and two dogs in the structure and were able to get them out in relatively good condition, obviously shaken by the whole ordeal. One cat and one dog died in the fire. The owners found one more cat alive on the property after the fire.

Fire/Rescue units were able to able to bring the fire completely under control approximately 70 minutes later. Damage to the structure was estimated at thirty to forty percent. The West Lakes Fire Department was assisted in its Fire/Rescue operations last night by the West Lakes Emergency Medical Services, Central MAT-SU Fire Department, The City of Houston Fire Department, The Willow Fire Department, MAT-SU Borough Animal Control and the State of Alaska Fire Marshall’s office. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, as temperatures begin to drop the use of heating lamps and alternative methods of heating become more prevalent, as well as the use of candles for light.  The MAT-SU Borough has experienced and increased number of fire fatalities over the past several years. Children fatalities have been especially high.  Please be careful and responsible when using alternative heating and lighting devices.