2 dead after fast

Firefighters say a fast-moving fire swept through a Wasilla home Saturday night, destroying the structure and leaving two people dead.

Alaska State Troopers identified the victims in an online dispatch as Terry Mason, 73, and Emma Mason, 67. Their families have been notified, troopers said.

Central Mat-Su Fire Chief Michael Keenan said the fire was reported in a Terrell Drive residence at 11:42 p.m. Saturday. The first responding fire truck arrived seven minutes later.

“They reported a single-story house with heavy smoke and fire coming out of one side of the building,” Keenan said in an interview Monday.

Crews tried to enter the home and search for occupants, Keenan said, but were forced out when the blaze flared up. He said supporting crews from Palmer, West Lakes and Butte fire departments spent more than seven hours helping contain the fire to the home.

“This house had a full basement and the fire had collapsed the floor, so we couldn’t make access to the house because it wasn’t safe,” Keenan said. “Eventually, we got the fire knocked down enough that we were able to search, and both occupants were found deceased inside the house.”

Troopers said foul play has been ruled out in the fire. Keenan said the blaze’s exact origin and cause remain under investigation.

“With the amount of damage that occurred and the fact that the building collapsed on the inside – the floor is gone – it’s going to take a little while for us to get in there and dig it out,” Keenan said.

Keenan said crews didn’t hear any smoke alarms when they arrived, but they could have been destroyed in the fire. But with National Fire Prevention Month marked in October, he said the fatal fire is a good reminder to check smoke alarms and be sure they work.

“Working smoke alarms save lives,” Keenan said. “That’s what wakes you up – that gets you time to get out of the house when a fire occurs.”

Troopers said the Masons were believed to be the home’s only occupants at the time of the fire.

Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at [email protected]. Read more about Chris here.