In the middle of the night Monday a North Pole woman died when a building full of people caught on fire. North Star Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jeff Tucker says the fire called in at 3:36 a.m.yesterday consumed a large residential and shop building on Rozak Road, near mile 10 of the Richardson Highway.
The name of the deceased woman is being withheld pending positive identification. Chief Tuckers says the seven people who escaped the fire were not injured. The response included nine area fire departments, and required shuttling water to the property. Tucker says suppression was difficult because of flammables in the shop.
The fire put up a large plume of black smoke that was visible from Fairbanks. The cause of ignition is being investigated by State Troopers and the Fire Marshall. The Red Cross is helping the residents displaced by the fire.
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Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
