VIDEO: One person was found dead early Wednesday morning in Wasilla following a duplex structure fire, according to Matanuska-Susitna Borough officials.
According to Ken Barkley, director of the borough’s emergency services, neighbors of the inflamed Melanie Avenue duplex called in the blaze around 6:20 a.m. During the initial call, Barkley said, it was believed that all occupants of the house had evacuated but Barkley said they were informed there might be another person inside the unit.
“The initial call came that everybody was out,” Barkley said. “Unfortunately, through the primary search, they did find one person that did not make it out.”
Both Central Mat-Su and West Lakes Fire responded, with the first crews arriving at the duplex several minutes later. Crews in Palmer and Houston stood on standby, ready to assist, according to Barkley.