Update: Gastineau Apartments fire intentionally set

Update | 2:30 p.m.

The Capital City Fire/Rescue fire marshal’s office has determined that the fire was intentionally set. CCF/R is working with the Juneau Police Department to investigate.

Original post:

Juneau firefighters were able to quickly knock down another fire Saturday at the Gastineau Apartments downtown, which were largely destroyed by flames in 2012. Capital City Fire/Rescue Assistant Chief Ed Quinto says there were no injuries. He says firefighters found evidence of squatting, but nobody inside the building.

“There is evidence of mattresses and it appears people were living in there, but we haven’t seen anybody inside at all,” Quinto said.

CCF/R responded to reports of a fire at the building a little before 7 p.m. Saturday. Quinto says it took less than half an hour to put it out.

A crowd gathered at the corner of Franklin and Front streets to watch as a ladder truck sprayed water onto flames coming from the fourth floor of the building. A large plume of gray smoke hung over downtown and was visible from Douglas.

“We had the ladder truck put their ladder up and started shooting water in the ceiling, and then we also had them shoot water into the windows of the fourth floor,” Quinto said. “We also stretched a line on the right-hand side of the building and started spraying water, because that’s where most of the flames were coming out of was on the right-hand side of the building on the fourth floor.”

James Barrett, owner of the Gastineau Apartments, was among those watching.

“It’s déjà vu all over again,” he said.

Barrett says he’s not sure how anyone got into the building. After it burned in November 2012, the structure was condemned and boarded up.

“It’s a shame, I mean the building was secure, and so I don’t know,” Barrett said. “The fire department is going to have to investigate and figure out what’s the cause.”

Juneau officials and a coalition of downtown businesses and  property owners have looked into what can be done about the eyesore. The city had been exploring whether to seize the property by eminent domain. But an architect inspected the building and recently reported to the Juneau Assembly that it wasn’t worth rehabilitating. A costly demolition now appears to be the only option for the site’s eventual redevelopment.

Barrett says he still hopes the building can be saved, but says interest from private developers in the property has cooled.

“I’m still talking to buyers, I don’t know what’s going to happen, though,” he said.

Quinto says the fire marshal’s office will investigate and try to determine the cause of Saturday’s fire. He says the building did not have power, which would rule out an electrical fire.

An unattended candle was determined to be the probable cause of the 2012 Gastineau Apartments fire. About 40 people had lived in the building.

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