Anchorage fire displaces families after seven-unit blaze erupts
A fire in Anchorage, Alaska, forced families from their homes after flames damaged all seven units of a residential building. Two adults were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation injuries, while others sought shelter at a Red Cross centre. The incident began on Wednesday at a housing complex in Mountain View. Excelia Hendrickson was returning from her son's school when she spotted smoke and hurried back. Inside, her mother, Christina Sallison, had just smelled something unusual before the fire alarms sounded.
Sallison escaped by jumping from a second-story window. Hendrickson, her 6-year-old son, and Sallison were among five people and a dog who spent Wednesday night at the Red Cross shelter in Fairview Rec Center.
The Anchorage Fire Department confirmed two adults were hospitalised due to smoke inhalation. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the blaze.
By Thursday, the shelter remained open to help displaced families adjust to their temporary situation. The fire left seven units uninhabitable, displacing multiple residents. The Red Cross continues to provide support while authorities examine how the blaze started. Families affected are now working to find longer-term housing solutions.
