Anchorage Condo Fire Leaves Units Cordoned Off After Fatal Blaze

A fire that tore through the Mount Vernon Commons in midtown Anchorage on October 22 killed one resident and left several units uninhabitable, Alaska’s News Source reported.

Eight units within the condominium complex remain cordoned off with fire line tape as investigators work to determine the cause of the blaze.

Elizabeth Ahkivgak, a resident whose condo was impacted by the fire, said she is currently staying in a hotel after losing priceless items in the destruction.

“There’s nothing to go back to,” Ahkivgak told Alaska’s News Source. “And that hurts. Yeah, that hurts.”

Ahkivgak was inside her unit when the fire began. She told Alaska’s News Source that her partner had been drinking Theraflu in the kitchen when they heard a crackling sound and saw smoke emerging from the microwave.

Her partner then woke her, stating, “I think your neighbor’s home is on fire.”

Ahkivgak said she did not have a split second to think before she ran from her bed to grab a fire extinguisher. She was able to successfully evacuate everyone from her unit, including her two dogs.

“I’m just kind of thankful to be here,” Ahkivgak said.

The fire claimed the life of Al Tobin Jr., a neighbor of Ahkivgak. She described Tobin as a man who always treated her with respect and offered her advice.

Tobin was a former engineer who had previously worked for NASA. “He could inspire and it’s just, it’s sad to see him gone,” Ahkivgak said.

The Anchorage Fire Department told Alaska’s News Source that the fire remains under investigation.