An electrical issue nearly caused a fire at a Mendenhall Valley home Friday afternoon.
Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to the home on Birch Lane at about 3:30 p.m. after receiving a report from one of the home’s three residents about heavy smoke emission.
Vehicle traffic was initially blocked in all directions at the intersection of Birch Lane and Mendenhall Boulevard as firefighters arrived on scene. Traffic was then let through from Mendenhall Boulevard to the east side of Birch Lane.
CCFR Fire Marshal Dan Jager confirmed that an electrical wire caused the issue. There was some remodeling work being done at the time, and CCFR confirmed with the worker that they had been working on the wiring.
One person had been home at the time, and no injuries were reported.
On scene, CCFR Assistant Chief Travis Mead told the Empire that there wasn’t any flames, just smoke coming from the upper levels of the house. Firefighters took apart walls in the home to try to locate the source, he said.
One of the home’s three residents, Roy Cerros, told the Empire on scene that he arrived home about five minutes before the firefighters arrived. He said he saw smoke coming out of a vent in front of the house, and by the time he got out of his car in the driveway, his roommate told him not to go inside and that CCFR had been called.
Roy Cerros stands outside his home on Birch Lane. He pointed to the back half of the roof, saying he knew that’s where the fire was because it’s clear of snow. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
“I really don’t know what started the fire, or what’s going on,” he said. Cerros, a 57-year-old school bus driver, said he’s lived in the home for seven years.
Most CCFR engines had left the scene by about 4:30 p.m.
