An early morning fire on Thursday took the life of one in Levelock according to the Alaska State Troopers.

A call went in to the troopers at 3:32 am on Thursday morning reporting a structural fire with a possible fatality. 

Alaska State Troopers responded to the village at just before 9:30 am. An anchorage-based fire marshal was able to get to the village by evening.

70-year-old Charles Andrew told troopers that he and another person, identified as 59-year-old Pilot Point resident Katherine Achayok, had been out on the porch earlier in the evening smoking cigarettes, where a can for the butts were kept, then he later went to bed at approximately 10 pm. He related to troopers that Achayok remained awake watching television.

Andrew awoke to a fire in the early morning. He told troopers that he had suffered burns from the fire as he attempted to help Achayok from the residence. He reported he was able to escape the flames by jumping out a window.

During the investigation of the fire scene, it was determined that the structure was a total loss. While combing through the wreckage, the remains of a person was found. It is beleived that those remains are those of Achayok.

The cause of the fire appears to be accidental but investigators could not positively determine the cause, but did say that the fire appears to have started somewhere near the porch of the house.

The remains were sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for identification and autopsy.

Community members and troopers notified next of kin of the fire.

The community of Levelock, with its approximately 80 residents,  is located about 20 miles upriver on the Kvichak River in the Bristol Bay area.

  Alaska, fatality, fire, levelock, troopers