Kotzebue fire officials said a wood stove is to blame for the house fire that claimed the life of a local resident on Jan. 28.
Hale Hunnicutt, 72, was found in the house on Shore Avenue during a fire that destroyed the residence.
The call came in at 8:44 p.m. but by the time officials arrived and started working -- within five minutes of the call -- the house was engulfed in flames. Hunnicutt was transported to Maniilaq Health Center and declared deceased on arrival. His next of kin have been notified and his remains were sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy.
"We got the report of a lot of smoke and an officer was right around the corner and saw smoke billowing out of the windows and the door," Kotzebue Police Chief Eric Swisher said last week. "The fire department got in there pretty quick and found him."
According to Swisher, the house wasn't condemned but had no electricity, running water or sewer, though Hunnicutt had lived there for years, he said.
It did have a wood stove in it, which has since been determined to be the cause of the fire, said Kotzebue Fire Chief Sean Ralston in a written response.
"An entry team advanced into the residence where there were flames and heavy smoke," Ralston said. "One victim was rescued from the structure, and transported to the hospital in critical condition. The victim succumbed to his injuries after arrival at the emergency department."
The fire was quickly controlled, and the structure and surrounding residences were saved, he said.
"In addition to battling the flames, the firefighters on scene had to manage the extremely cold temperature of minus 30, which can create some major difficulties such as frozen hoses and equipment," Ralston added.
This story first appeared in The Arctic Sounder and is republished here with permission.