Alaska Blaze Injures 5 in Gas Station Explosion
A violent explosion destroyed an Alaska gas station, and the resulting blaze injured five people on Sunday night.
According to Alaska State Trooper Sgt. Mike Roberts, two of the victims suffered “significant burns” from the heat, while another unlucky bystander “suffered trauma after being hit from objects inside the convenience store,” reported KTUU. Three of the five victims had to be hospitalized for their condition.
The gas station’s convenience store near the Denali National Park is believed to be the source of the dangerous flames. Firefighter crews think the blast originated near the checkout counter at the Cantwell station.
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The cause of the detonation is currently unknown.
At about 6 p.m., the fire was reported to emergency services. According to Roberts, firefighters spent a grueling four hours extinguishing the flames that had “fully engulfed the structure.” Exacerbating the situation were the high winds, three fire departments had to respond to contain the inferno.
Firefighters were also aware of the gasoline tanks and propane tank in the surrounding area, and made the protection of them a priority. Otherwise, further damage could have been done.
Other safety measures were taken to make sure the flame did not spread further. Emergency services disabled the structure’s power, smartly avoiding an electrical fire due to the already hazardous circumstances.
By 10 p.m. Sunday night, the fire had subsided considerably, but embers remained. Roberts said there was a good chance firefighters would have to remain onsite to keep the flames from reigniting.
“Basically they’re sealing off the area, not letting anyone in, making sure it’s clear of people,” Roberts explained.
As for the injured parties, two are recovering at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, while another is at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.
