Popular Glennallen, AK, Hotel Burns Down to Pilings
Anchorage Daily News, Alaska
(TNS)
Nov. 12—The Caribou Hotel in Glennallen was destroyed by a fast-moving fire on Wednesday morning after providing lodging in the Copper River Valley community for 35 years.
Alaska State Troopers and local firefighters battled flames that "fully engulfed" the hotel after receiving a report of smoke at the building around 8:10 a.m., the state Department of Public Safety said in an online statement. Everyone inside the building evacuated safely, troopers said.
Pictures of the blaze posted on social media show the hotel consumed by flames as plumes of dark smoke billowed upward.
The building was a "total loss," said James Fields, who operates the hotel with a brother. The building was "completely engulfed" by flames within minutes, he said.
"It's burned down to the pilings," Fields said Monday afternoon. The hotel is owned by a trust set up by Fields' deceased father and a business partner, he said.
The fire damaged at least five vehicles, according to troopers.
A restaurant, the Caribou Grill, located about 20 feet from the hotel and owned by the same trust, was saved, Fields said.
Cynthia Buchanan, who owns the Rustic Resort B&B in Glennallen, said the business is preparing rooms for displaced hotel guests.
Glennallen, located about three hours from Anchorage along the Glenn Highway near its intersection with the Richardson Highway, is a popular stop for travelers. Several locals said Monday that the Caribou provided valuable year-round hotel rooms in the community.
It's unclear what sparked the blaze. Troopers said a deputy fire marshal was traveling to the scene to investigate. GlennRich Fire Rescue and the Gakona and Kenny Lake volunteer fire departments also responded to the scene.
The hotel was built in 1990 and had undergone some additions and renovations over the years. It had about 56 rooms and seven employees at this time of the year, Fields said.
A fire in 2010 destroyed an annex building and some vehicles at the hotel.
The flames on Wednesday morning, Fields said, spread much faster than that previous blaze.
"I thought that went up fast, but nothing compared to the hotel," he said.
Glennallen already had a shortage of lodging, so Fields said they will likely rebuild "something." Details about what that could look like would be determined after dealing with insurance payout matters.
"I think Glennallen needs a hotel," he said. "It's just a huge loss for the community."
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