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By TIM MOWRY
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (Alaska)
Alaska State Troopers and fire officials are investigating a suspicious blaze that destroyed a home in North Pole on Sunday.
“It’s arson,” said North Star Volunteer Fire Department chief Ernie Misewicz.
The fire destroyed a one-story home on Yellowstone Road late Sunday night. The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
Neighbors told firefighters they heard a loud explosion and saw a large amount of smoke and fire at around 10:30 p.m. Sunday. They also reported seeing a brown Camaro-type vehicle leaving the area at a high rate of speed, said Misewicz.
By the time North Star firefighters arrived, the house was a total loss, said Misewicz. A portion of the roof had started to collapse and the front wall fell outward.
“There was fire already through the roof when we got there,” he said.
Firefighters had the fire under control in 20 minutes and it took another two hours to remove the smoldering cellulose insulation in the attic.
The house is owned by Jon Sanchez and the loss is estimated at $110,000. Sanchez told Misewicz he was out of town at the time of the fire.
Misewicz is especially interested in locating any photos neighbors may have taken of the fire prior to the arrival of firefighters.
“We want to see what was happening before we got there,” he said.
Anyone having information about the fire is asked to contact the North Star Volunteer Fire Department at 488-3400 or troopers at 451-5100.