Vacant teacher housing building burns in Savoonga

SAVOONGA, Alaska (KTUU) - A vacant building previously used to house teachers in the Western Alaska town of Savoonga burned Thursday.

No one was hurt in the blaze, according to Bering Strait School District Administrator Susan Nedza, who told Alaska’s News Source that the building was used to house teachers through the end of last year, but had fallen into disrepair and had been abandoned.

Savoonga does not have a fire department, according to Nedza, who said school maintenance employees and village residents assisted in dousing the flames. Savoonga sits on St. Lawrence Island in the middle of the Bering Sea.

“Amazing support with very little equipment or resources!” Nedza wrote in an email.

Nedza said the cause of the fire has not been officially determined, but said it appears a heat source that was being used to thaw a sewer line is the likely culprit.

Nedza said authorities are assessing any possible smoke damage to other units. She added that nearby buildings were evacuated Thursday as people battled the fire.

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