Fire damages Willow Townsite business Sunday evening

A fire on Sunday night has caused significant damage at the Willow Townsite.

Brian Davis, Mat-Su Borough Deputy Director of Emergency Services, says an employee at the gas station in the strip center smelled smoke and called 9-1-1.  When fire crews arrived, they did not immediately find a source of the smoke.  After searching the buildings, they found the fire in a rear storeroom.  Davis says fires in a strip mall setting can be complex as they spread, and require significant coordination to fight. 

Firefighters were able to quickly control the blaze, they remained on scene to conduct cleanup activities for about four hours. Davis says multiple departments coordinated in the effortp, including Willow, Talkeetna, Houston, and West Lakes.

No civilian or firefighter injuries have been reported as a result of the fire.  Davis says while there is significant damage to the contents of the building, the structure itself is believed to be salvageable.

The office of the Alaska State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.