Firefighters battle blaze, wind

All six condos were uninhabitable after the fire, which started outside on a deck, said Battalion Chief Kevin Keene. The cause is still under investigation, Keene said.

The firefighters' swift attack -- hosing the fire on the building's south side before entering to extinguish flames inside -- stopped it from getting out of control, said Capt. Todd Loy.

"Probably saved a whole bunch of this structure," said Loy, who'd just walked out of the still-smoldering building. Loy and three other firefighters with him were drenched and covered in splinters.

"We could've really had a big event today with this wind, going building to building, or building to tree," Loy said.

Fire, smoke and water affected all six units, and the total damage estimate was about $150,000, Keene said. About 30 firefighters responded, he said.

East 15th Avenue was closed from Gambell Street to Cordova, where an officer directed traffic. Firefighters evacuated several nearby buildings, and residents lined the street as thin smoke blew through the area.

No injuries were reported, and everyone inside escaped, fire officials said. Residents waited on the opposite sidewalk for word that they could go inside to see the damage.

"I saw the flames shoot up over the building," said neighbor Daniel Richie, one of many who called 911. "I'm glad they got it put out before the wind kicked it up."

Sharon Erickson was vacuuming the downstairs area of her cousin's condo when she felt the flames -- only she didn't know right away the building was on fire, she said.

"I was feeling really hot, and I thought it was me, just cleaning," Erickson said. "And then I smelled burning, and my vacuum's been acting up, so I thought my vacuum blew."

Frustrated, Erickson brought the vacuum upstairs and saw smoke, she said. She looked through a window and saw flames.

"It was the whole window, solid flames. I knew I had seconds before that window busted," Erickson said.

Her cousin, Brad Erickson, owns the condo, he said.

"We're just waiting to see how bad it is," Brad Erickson said. He said he was down the hill at the Sullivan Arena when his cousin called and said his home was on fire.

Walking toward the building, he saw smoke and flames.

"Basically, I was just thinking, 'Is everybody OK?'," he said.

They were, and no pets were lost either, firefighters said.

All the residents had places to stay in the meantime, according to the Red Cross.

Erickson, a radio deejay, said he had friends who would put him up. He also recently bought a motorhome.

"I was joking about moving into the RV, but now I guess it's coming to fruition," he said.