Homer Alaska - News

The morning after a fire destroyed four apartments at the Landings Condominiums, families have begun getting their lives back together. No residents were injured in the fire at the complex at the corner of Landings Street and Lakeshore Drive on the south shore of Beluga Lake. Everyone evacuated safely. Firefighters also had no injuries.

Social service agencies and businesses have already offered this help:

• Homer Property Management, the managers of six units destroyed or heavily damaged in the fire, have found temporary housing in other properties managed by the company. It also is accepting donations of furniture, clothing and non-perishable food items.

• The Salvation Army is providing emergency food boxes and emergency vouchers for fire victims needing clothing, furniture, household items or every-day products.

• The Red Cross has responded with a disaster team and is meeting today with families affected by the fire.

In addition to the four apartments destroyed, three other units had heavy smoke and water damage from where the fire spread to the roof, said Homer Volunteer Fire Department Chief Bob Painter. The other 10 units in the17-unit complex may have smoke damage but are otherwise fine. Not all the apartments were occupied and some are vacation apartments. Power was shut off to the entire complex. Homer Police and fire officials allowed residents back in Thursday morning to check on their apartments and move belongings. Some residents already had begun doing that. Some residents are out of town and may not know of the fire.

The fire was called in at about 4:20 p.m. June 27, with the first units responding within five minutes and a fire engine within 10 minutes. Painter said the fire started on the back deck of apartment 23, an upstairs unit in the southwest corner of the L-shaped complex.

A Coast Guardsman from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hickory who didn't want to give his name said he attempted to put out the fire with extinguishers. He also ran through the complex banging on doors to make sure people got out. Painter said Homer Police also helped in notifying residents and accounted for everyone very early in the response.

Fire engines and rescue trucks from HVFD and Kachemak Emergency Services quickly filled Lakeshore Drive as crews fought to save the complex. Firefighters spread hose from a hydrant in front of the Homer Brewery. Onlookers hampered the response when people drove down Lakeshore Drive, but police eventually blocked off both ends of the road.

The fire roared up the back wall of the building and quickly spread to the roof. Built in 1978, the complex had good fire walls between units that kept the fire from spreading, Painter said. Unfortunately, firefighters could not save the four apartments. Attack crews with breathing masks and tanks tried to make a direct assault on the fire and knock it down, but had to pull back when the back wall started to collapse and the floor became unstable.

"We basically at that point in time wrote off that center section and kept the fire from going in both directions," Painter said.

Firefighters cut holes in the roof of the building to keep the fire from spreading horizontally through the entire structure.

HVFD units responding included a fire engine, two tanker/pumper, an ambulance and utility vehicles. KES provided mutual aid with two more fire engines and a dozen firefighters. About 30 firefighters and crews from both departments responded. Firefighters left the scene about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, but went back in the morning after receiving a call the flames had rekindled.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and Painter did not want yet to speculate on the cause. The fire caused about $750,000 in damages to the building and contents, Painter estimated.

Housing for fire victims is being provided rent-free for a month by Dave Whisman, owner of Whalesong apartments, and Scott and Barbara Smith, owners of YWAM, Youth With a Mission.

"These are unfurnished and some of these people have lost everything," said Jake Kemnitz of Homer Property Management. "We have one family that needs everything — beds, blankets, pillows, everything."

Donations, including furniture, clothing and nonperishable food items, can be dropped off at Homer Property Management, 412 E. Pioneer Ave., Suite 200.

"We ask that you call us first and we'll arrange for a spot to put items," said Kemnitz.

Homer Property Management can be reached at 235-1958.

"As of right now, we don't know all that is needed," he said. "It's still a matter or trying to get people rehomed and going again. Once that is done and we actually get homes, then we'll go into the next stage of things."

For information of items needed by the fire victims, call Homer Property Management or visit Homer Property Management's newest Facebook site where additional information and photos of the fire are posted.

The Salvation Army also will accept donations for the fire victims.

"You can drop stuff off if you know anybody's needs and let one of our workers know," said Jessica White, assistant manager of the store on Pioneer Avenue.

Trisha Davis and Linda Harris, disaster action team members with American Red Cross of Alaska, received word of the fire late on Wednesday.

"We are just getting started this morning," said Davis of meetings with those impacted by the fire to assess immediate, short-term needs for food, clothing, medication replacements and other items.

Rather than replacing items, the Red Cross uses a credit card-type system so disaster victims can purchase what is needed.

One of the biggest challenges facing Davis and Harris in the aftermath of Wednesday's fire is making contact with each individual whose residence was damaged. Any fire victim that has not been contacted by the Red Cross should call 399-3530.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com. McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.