Residents unaccounted for after residential fire in Noorvik

[An updated version of this story was posted here.]

Several residents were unaccounted for after a residential fire broke out this morning in Noorvik, officials said. It was not immediately clear whether the fire caused any fatalities or injuries.

“The structure was reported to be a total loss and the residents are unaccounted for,” Alaska State Troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain said. “Troopers and Deputy Fire Marshals are on scene actively working to determine if there are fatalities in the burned structure.”

The first reports of the fire at a single-family home came in around 6 a.m., said Chris Hatch, Northwest Arctic Borough public safety director. The local fire battalion was able to extinguish the fire and recovery efforts were ongoing, Hatch said on Wednesday afternoon.

While it was not immediately clear on Wednesday whether there were any injuries or fatalities in the fire, multiple residents from Noorvik and the surrounding villages shared on Facebook words of support to the families affected by the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, Hatch said.

Troopers, regional Village Public Safety Officers and Deputy State Fire Marshals responded to the fire in Noorvik, DeSpain said.

“This is a developing situation and I will have more information once we are able to fully assess the scene and conduct an initial investigation,” DeSpain said.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.