Old Anchorage Apartments More Susceptible to Fire

Older apartment complexes in Anchorage, Alaska, are more susceptible to fires because of outdated fire-code standards.

There have been 20 fire calls at multifamily dwellings where the fire spread beyond the starting room. That’s almost twice as many fires as last year and more than any other year over the past 10 years.

At least five of the fires resulted in major damage.

KSKA says all those fires involved older buildings that do not have to meet modern fire-code standards.

Fire investigator Brian Balega says some things could help prevent fires including sprinkler systems, attic fire breaks and building-wide fire alarms.

In Anchorage, older apartment complexes are grandfathered in.

Fire Marshal James Gray says Anchorage fire codes involve many stakeholders and there are limits to what the public will tolerate.