On Wednesday afternoon, Togiak Village Public Safety Offficers responded to a call reporting smoke emanating from a village home in Togiak.

When they arrived on the scene, VPSO First Sgt Dan Decker and a Volunteer Firefighter Arlandra Upton forced their way into the smoldering building. Upon entry, they were confronted with fully engulfed interior filled with black, toxic smoke. A check of the building would turn up a 14-year-old boy in the building suffering from smoke inhalation. The pair removed the boy from the building and Volunteer firefighters extinguished the smoldering fire.

Both VPSO Decker and the 14-year-old were transported by medical transport to Dillingham where they were treated for smoke inhalation. Decker would be treated and released while the juvenile was admitted to the hospital for further treatment.

An investigation into the cause of the fire would find that the fire in the building, that belonged to a deceased member of the boy’s family, was caused by the boy. He had started a fire in the bathroom of the residence.

Damage to the building is estimated to be approximately $1,000.

Dillingham Troopers and Togiak VPSOs are continuing their investigation of the incident.

The Department of Jevenile Justice was notified.