Capital City Fire/Rescue firefighters watch the Thane Ore House controlled burn on Nov. 24, 2018. (Photo by Matt Miller/KTOO)
The Thane Ore House no longer exists.
The old restaurant near Sheep Creek on Thane Road was destroyed in a controlled burn by Capital City Fire/Rescue firefighters on Saturday.
Assistant Chief Tod Chambers said they used the occasion to train about two dozen firefighters. Small fires would be set inside and firefighters would have to enter the building, find the fire and quickly extinguish it.
When their training was completed, the building was allowed to burn completely as bystanders lined up on Thane Road to watch the flaming spectacle.
The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska plans to build a new $9 million cultural immersion center on the site. But the old restaurant had deteriorated so much that it could not be renovated.
Tlingit & Haida President Richard Peterson said they plan to build the new center in the form of a traditional longhouse.
Peterson said potential contractors will visit the site on Monday before they prepare bids for cleaning up the debris.
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