The Haines Volunteer Fire Dept responds to a call in May 2016. (Emily Files)
A mobile home on Sawmill Road behind the Eagle’s Nest Motel caught fire early Friday morning. The Haines Volunteer Fire Department got the call just after 4:30 Friday morning.
The Haines Volunteer Fire Department got the call just after 4:30 Friday morning. Seventeen firefighters and medical personnel responded to the call. When KHNS spoke to Volunteer Fire Chief Al Giddens his hands were still blackened from fighting the blaze. He says the mobile home was completely destroyed: “When we did arrive though the trailer was fully involved–so, fire through the roof from front to back.”
No one was in the unit when it caught fire and there were no injuries except for a dog. Firefighters saw he was chained to a tree near the burning home.
“We ran over there and got in between the fire and the dog and tried to unchain him and we did put out a fire that was on his back. As soon as we unchained him he took off and ran we didn’t see where he went,” Giddens said.
He says the dog was recovered and is on his way to Whitehorse for treatment. A neighboring home caught fire from the radiant heat. It only burned partially before firefighters extinguished the blaze. Chief Giddens says they saved most of the contents. Fire personnel left the scene close to 9 a.m. but returned to put out a smaller flare up.
“We did have to return to the scene just to put out little spot fires because there was so much debris,” said Giddens. “Unless you completely bulldoze the house down it’s hard to catch it all in the first go around.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. This is the 3rd fire in Haines in less than two weeks. Gidden says the department has not ruled out the possibility of arson, but that it is not the entire focus of the investigation. Giddens says that mobile homes are especially flammable.
“For the most part this is a very fire safe community, so we’re very, very thankful for that and that people are conscientious about fire safety,” Giddens said.
Haines is protected from fires by a staff of volunteers. Giddens got a little chocked up when he said they all went above and beyond the call of duty. None of the firefighters were injured.
