At 3:30 am early Thursday morning, fishermen tied up at the Alaska General Seafoods cannery dock observed flames coming from another vessel, the Pauline II, which was also tied up at the dock.

Two men, 50-year-old Joe Paul and 55-year-old Paul Paul, were pulled from the burning vessel by the fishermen. The two brothers were transported to the Egegik Clinic for treatment of the burns they suffered in the fire. They were later transferred again for further treatment.

First responders to the fire were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to the other vessels moored there and ultimately put out the flames.

Another man was found in the boat after the fire was extinguished. Elder brother Harberg Paul, age 56, was taken from the burnt-out boat and transported to the Egegik Clinic, where he was pronounced dead at 4:30 am.

The Egegik Clinic called in the fatal fire to the troopers at 5:56 am. Poor weather conditions made it impossible for troopers to respond. Instead, a Wildlife Trooper conducting enforcement for the commercial fisheries in the area responded by boat to the village and began an investigation the scene.

A Deputy Fire Marshal later flew in from Anchorage to conduct an investigation into the fire. No foul play was suspected in the incident. The boat was considered a total loss.

The remains of the elder brother, Harberg, was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy and positive identification. Next of kin were notified.

All three brothers were from Kipnuk,