The Anchorage Fire Department says a fire that displaced three families from a Mountain View apartment building early Wednesday, causing about $150,000 in damage, involved "suspicious circumstances."
AFD fire investigator Brian Balega says he learned more from neighbors on the 800 block of North Park Street about events preceding the four-plex fire at about 3 a.m.
"We heard a statement from a witness who said that shortly before the discovery of the fire they heard some kind of commotion -- whether it was somebody in the building, or leaving or outside the building before the fire was discovered," Balega said. "And then the people within the apartment actually are the ones who found the fire."
AFD spokesperson Al Tamagni Jr. says 11 AFD units responded to the scene, where initial reports stated all people and pets inside had been evacuated. According to AFD Capt. Richard Minkler, 10 individuals were displaced and no injuries were reported; Balega said Wednesday that one family's escape route was blocked by the fire, forcing them to evacuate by ladder from a second-story window.
The Red Cross responded to the scene to help the three displaced families and provide them with a place to stay for the night.
Crews managed to get the fire under control shortly before 3:30 a.m. Minkler said the fire started on the second floor of the four-plex. The structure suffered mostly smoke damage and is salvageable.
AFD is seeking public help in identifying anyone responsible for setting the fire. People with information on the blaze should call AFD's arson hotline at 267-5060 or Crime Stoppers at 561-STOP.
Channel 2's Mallory Peebles, Caslon Hatch and Chris Klint contributed to this story.
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