Fire marshals investigate Kilbuck blaze in Bethel; Cause not yet determined

Fire marshals are on the scene in Bethel investigating the Kilbuck campus fire. They’re photographing the site, talking with the fire department, and interviewing witnesses, trying to assess the damage and cause of the destruction.

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The former entrance of Ayaprun Elitnaurviat Yup’ik immersion school Wednesday morning. Photo by Anna Rose MacArthur / KYUK.
The former entrance of Ayaprun Elitnaurviat Yup’ik immersion school Wednesday morning. Photo by Anna Rose MacArthur / KYUK.

They have not released any conclusions on the fire’s severity or origin.

The marshals arrived Wednesday morning in Bethel and moved to the site that is still smoking even after continuous rainfall from last night through the afternoon.

The fire department contained the fire around 6 p.m. Tuesday after approximately 14 hours of crews working non-stop to suppress the inferno.

About 20 fire fighters, most of them volunteers, helped fight the flames as police monitored the perimeter and public works hauled truck after truck of water to the scene.

Businesses and restaurants assisted with abundant containers of donated food and coffee.

Emergency response has set up a mobile command center at the site where police and fire crews have been holding 24-hour surveillance.

Anna Rose MacArthur is a reporter at KYUK in Bethel.

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