The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1950-08-21

day as fire swept through the Pack
ard Marina on Willoughby Avenue
leaving it charred and Quilted ruin.
Two nearby buildings escaped
serious damage as members of the
Juneau Fire Department and vol
unteer fire-fighters faced intense
heat to confine the flames to the
Packard Boat shop.
At least seven other minor roof
fires resulted from the Packard
Marina blaze, which scattered hot
embers on roofs a quarter of mile
away.
Damage to the Marina and the
building which housed it was esti-
mated at approximately 100000 by
R. E. Packard. operator of the boat
shop.
Floyd Fagerson, who owned the
building in partnership with j. v,
Cole, would make no estimate of the
loss. He described it as "tremen-
| dous."
Packard said damage to the shop
was only partly covered by insur-
ance. The Marina had been moved
to new quarters in the building July
/, and a new show room had been
completed Friday, he said.
Began Suddenly
| The fire, which apparently began
suddenly in the rear of the shop,
was discovered shortly before pm,
| and two % alarms we're sounded in
quick succession.
| First alarm was turned in by Fire
| Chief A. Minard Mill who was pass
ing and saw flames and smoke
burst from the building.
Alaska Coastal Airline employees
ran a hose to the scene and were
playing water on the flames when
the first fire truck arrived short
time after the first alarm was
sounded.
The fire, driven by light breeze
off Gastineau Channel, laid pail
| of smoke over Willoughby Avenue,
hampering the fire fighters. Two
minutes after the second alarm was
sounded, a dull explosion in the
rear of the shop shot flames SO feet
high.
Firemen faced the fierce heat Of
the fire to haul two transfer COM
pany trucks, one of them an oil
tanker, from garage in the blazing
building
Meanwhile, Alaska Coastal Air
lines mechanics climbed on the west
end of the wharf from small boats
in an effort to drag the fuselage Of
a Grammar Goose to safety. Heat
drove them back to their boats.
The tug Trojan, owned by the
Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Com
pany, aided in fighting the flames.
The tug was in action at the Juneau
Spruce Corporation mill fire just a
year ago.
Two men, Danny Anderson and
Roy Connors, suffered blisters on
their faces as they played water on
the roof Of the OVERLY residence, A
Willoughby Avenue, one of the
buildings endangered by the fire.
Volunteers Help
A chain of volunteers cleared the
overly residence and Crooks Boat
Shop, on the north side of the burn
ing building, of all movable prop
erty, including the bathroom sink
in the OVERLY home.
Two apartments in the burning
buildings were Quilted. Russ Magill,
who occupied one of them, rushed
from the airport when he heard OF
the fire. He said all his personal
property was destroyed. The other
apartment was occupied by Packard.
A short time before the Marina
fire was brought under control, a
2-6 alarm was sounded and de-
tachment of firemen rushed to the
Mugup Cafe on Third Street to ex-
tinguish a roof fire apparently
caused by flying embers. A second
roof fire at 210 Main Street was
discovered at the same time.
Other small roof fires were re-
ported to have been started on the
roofs of Percy's Cafe on Front
Street and the Brunswick Rooms on
Ferry Way. Neither blaze did serious
damage, according to reports.
Residents Of houses on the hill
overlooking the smoking Marina
climbed to their roofs and wet down
with garden hoses.
An estimated 1000 spectators
crowded the area near the fire and
were moved back when power lines,
heated by the blaze. threatened to
drop.
Mermaid Stares at Blaze
Throughout the time the fire was
blazing. merraaid painted on the