Capital City Fire/Rescue responded to a structure fire at the site of two historic, abandoned cabins in the Mendenhall Valley Thursday afternoon. Smoke could be seen from the surrounding area. No injuries were reported.
Division Chief Brandon Bagwell said the fire was fully contained within about an hour of initial reports.
“We had fire coming from the top, getting into the trees,” he said. “We’re not exactly sure what the cause of origin is just yet. It’s gonna be under investigation.”
A fire department press release said callers reported a large column of smoke coming from the area across from Sherwood Lane and Pavitt Health & Fitness.
The extent of damage to the surrounding area was unclear at the time of reporting.
The cabins are near Kaxdigoowu Héen Dei Brotherhood Bridge Trail. They are nearly 120-year-old remnants of Juneau’s short-lived dairy industry. The structures have been slowly deteriorating for years, and this afternoon’s fire fully destroyed one of them.
