A fire that started Wednesday evening in Stebbins has destroyed the local school and several other nearby buildings.
Stebbins is located on St. Michael Island about 120 miles southeast of Nome.
According to eyewitnesses in Stebbins, the fire started in a shop next to the Tukurngailnguq School at about 7 p.m. Wednesday. The school, shop, two new portable buildings and nearby housing are expected to be total losses.
Bystanders live-streamed the fire on Facebook as regional residents offered up words of support in the comments. The videos revealed a fire that had already engulfed much of the southern side of the school. Streams of water could be seen flowing up from the ground as firefighters attempted to slow the spread.
Witnesses reported the smell of burning rubber in the air as rubber mulch from the school’s playground caught fire.
Heavy equipment was used to dig a perimeter around the school. As of Thursday morning, it appears to have helped contained the fire.
The Nome Volunteer Fire Department began deploying to Stebbins at about 8 p.m. Wednesday, with a Bering Air Cessna Grand Caravan carrying one crew member and equipment.
Volunteer firefighters could be seen assembling gear at Nome Airport, waiting to catch the next flight to Stebbins. A King Air departed Nome Airport at 8:47 p.m. with additional equipment and crew.
NVFD Chief Jim West Jr. confirmed to KNOM that six firefighters are being sent to Stebbins. West has received reports that the fire started in a boiler room in a nearby shop building, although that is still to be confirmed. Witnesses reported hearing an explosion coming from the direction of the shop.
The school is located near the town’s water plant and teacher housing. In the late evening 10-mph northern winds shifted and began to flow from the south, creating new challenges for firefighters attempting to contain the blaze.
The outbreak comes less than two years after a fire burned down the village’s only grocery store.
About 260 students attended the school built over two decades ago.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.