Rural Alaska

Bethel health organization calls fire 'criminal act,' raises reward to $20,000

BETHEL – An Alaska Native health organization has increased its reward for information on the October fire that destroyed an alcohol and drug treatment center that was under construction.

Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp. is offering $20,000, up from a previous reward of $5,000, "for information that results in the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the criminal act that resulted in the fire," the organization said in a written statement.

YKHC is rebuilding the nearly $13 million center, but the fire delayed the needed project by a year, the organization said.

"We know the destruction of property is not something that our community endorses and therefore, we are asking for the community's help in identifying those persons responsible for this terrible act," YKHC said.

The state fire marshal's office ruled out mechanical, electrical and natural causes in the Oct. 27 fire but said it could have been arson or an accident. A construction foreman told investigators the entire crew smoked cigarettes on the construction site.

The investigation remains open, Megan Peters, spokesperson for Alaska State Troopers, said Tuesday.

YKHC urged anyone with information to call Bethel police Sgt. Amy Davis at 907-543-3781 or Nathan Rocheleau, deputy fire marshal, at 907-269-5637.

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The reward offer expires Oct. 1, YKHC said.

Correction: The headline of an earlier version of this story incorrectly gave the reward amount as $25,000. It has been updated to reflect the correct amount: $20,000.

Lisa Demer

Lisa Demer was a longtime reporter for the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Dispatch News. Among her many assignments, she spent three years based in Bethel as the newspaper's western Alaska correspondent. She left the ADN in 2018.

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