Early on Friday morning, the Tununak Tribal Police Officer called in to the Alaska State Troopers in Bethel and reported a structure fire with a possible fatality.

The call initiated by the Tununak Tribal Police Officer to troopers at 1:21 am on Friday, reported a residential fire in the small community. Troopers were informed that the structure had burned to the ground and a young child was unaccounted for.

Troopers from Bethel responded to the scene with the State Fire Marshal later in the morning. The remains of a small child were found in the ruins of the blaze. Investigators are still investigating the circumstances of the fire.

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

The community of Tununak, with its approximate population of 325, is located on the northwest side of Nelson Island in the Bering Sea.

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