Two weekend fires in the Kuskokwim delta community of Atmautluak were contained over the weekend—but Alaska State Troopers say they’ll still investigating the cause.
The first blaze came Saturday afternoon. In an online dispatch Troopers say they were alerted to the fire at 4:20 in the afternoon. Locals were able to keep the flames to just one room of the Tribal Office Building—but the flames also damaged the outside of the structure.
The second fire came early Sunday morning around 3 o’clock—and was reported at the community’s old Moravian Church.
Troopers say that second fire “totally destroyed the abandoned church” and also damaged a house next door. The house was occupied at the time of the blaze.
No one was injured in either fire.
Troopers were on the scene Sunday to investigate both fires.
The determined the city office blaze was caused by “two young children playing with lighters” underneath the structure. The second fire, Troopers say, was started by a 13-year-old boy and an 18-year-old playing with fire.
Investigation into both incidents remains ongoing.
Matthew Smith is a reporter at KNOM in Nome.
