An explosion and fire that left a Chevron gas station at Mile 210.3 of the Parks High fully engulfed Sunday night injured five people -- but the tragedy might have been worse if 26-year-old Samuel Allan of Cantwell hadn't been working.
Allan returned to the burning building several times to make sure everyone inside escaped, according to Alaska State Troopers. He's now at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital recovering from his injuries.
The explosion blew out the building's windows. Although the store was fully engulfed by the time troopers arrived, the gas pumps did not burn. Two deputy fire marshals were investigating the cause of the fire Monday.
Another employee, Gale Andersen, 61, of Cantwell, suffered significant burns and was transported by ambulance to Providence Memorial Hospital in Anchorage for treatment. She left for Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Monday. Also injured in the incident: Judith Riley, 70 of North Pole; Mathew Atkinson, 43, of Fairbanks; and Allen Glore, 58, of Cantwell. Glore was also transported to Providence. Riley remains at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner said snowfall and powerful winds made conditions challenging for firefighters. The Cantwell Volunteer Fire Department responded, as did the Tri-Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Cantwell Volunteer Fire Department, Denali National Park Service EMS, McKinley Village Fire Station, Nenana EMS and Talkeetna EMS.
The store continued burning throughout the night and wasn't extinguished until this Monday morning.