Fire crews respond to multiple early-morning fires

Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to three fires across Juneau early Thursday morning, with no injuries reported, according to a CCFR social media post.

“It’s totally unusual,” said assistant chief Ed Quinto in a phone interview. “The fire personnel at Station 3 did not get any sleep at all because we had multiple medical calls on top of fire calls.”

The first, reported just after midnight., was a vehicle fire in the 4000 block of Delta Drive in the Mendenhall Valley, according to an email from Fire Marshal Dan Jager. The fire was caused by faulty wiring in the headlight assembly, and caused approximately $1,500 in damage.

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The second was larger, occurring in the 400 block of West 10th Street in the downtown area. With the first call coming in at 3:16 a.m, CCFR responded to a fire at a two-story duplex, Quinto said.

“The cause of the fire was determined to be a failure with the main breaker panel and the fire traveled vertically through the plumbing chase and extended through second floor walls and ceiling spaces,” Jager said. “Damage is estimated at approximately $100,000.”

CCFR also responded to multiple medical calls in the early hours of the morning, Quinto said.

“I know we had at least two ambulance calls, one of them during the West 10th fire, so we were stretched thin,” Quinto said. “We’re a small staff but somehow the fire department gets it done.”

The third fire of the morning was reported in Switzer Village at approximately 5:43 a.m., Jager said. The fire was limited to a front porch, causing approximately $250 in damage, Jager said, and the cause is unknown at this time.

CCFR also responded to a fire in the woods near the Dimond Field House on Tuesday, Jager said. The fire caused approximately $150 in damage and the cause is unknown.

• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at (757) 621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.