Rural Alaska

Man, 82, found dead after fire in Galena home

An 82-year-old man, Franklin "Ironman" Pitka, died in a fire in Galena early Thursday, the volunteer fire chief said.

The fire in the Yukon River village was first reported about 5:30 a.m., according to Alaska State Troopers.

Volunteer fire chief Tim Bodony said he arrived at the fire about 10 minutes after receiving a call from Pitka's neighbor.

Three fire trucks and a water tanker responded, Bodony said. The one-story log cabin was located outside of the village's system of fire hydrants, he said.

"It was fully engulfed by the time we arrived, and really, fully engulfed by the time it was discovered," the chief said.

The firefighters spent an hour dousing the blaze, he said, but their efforts were slowed by the need to haul water to the scene with the 2,000-gallon tanker. Local officials did "cleanup" around the scene for another hour. No other structures were put in danger, Bodony said.

Local police and fire officials requested state help to investigate, but poor weather prevented flights from reaching Galena on Thursday. A deputy fire marshal flew there Friday morning, when a body was discovered at the home.

ADVERTISEMENT

But Bodony said he and others assumed from the time they arrived at Pitka's home that the well-known resident was inside.

"There was nothing we could really do about it," he said. "That was my first thought when the call came in. If anyone had the chance to save him it was right then and there, because my response time would close that window, but the home was already fully involved."

Villagers in Galena and other nearby towns knew Pitka as a strong-willed, independent man. He would regularly walk two to four miles a day – to the post office, store or elder center, Bodony said.

"He was a tough guy," the fire chief said.

Pitka earned his nickname about 30 years ago, when he walked away from a serious vehicle accident "without a scratch," Bodony said.

Local residents still lent a hand to Pitka, though, including sweeping his chimney, Bodony said. That was one of the first things he and the fire marshal checked during an initial investigation. The victim used a wood stove to heat his cabin, and he was a smoker, Bodony said.

"Those were two potential causes we thought of right away. Neither has been ruled out. We saw some evidence today, with the deputy fire marshal, and we can say it appears the fire was accidental," Bodony said, adding that determining the exact cause would take more time.

Chris Klint

Chris Klint is a former ADN reporter who covered breaking news.

Jerzy Shedlock

Jerzy Shedlock is a former reporter for Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2017.

ADVERTISEMENT