Vigilant neighbors likely helped prevent a cabin fire in Funny River from spreading to nearby forest land.
According to Central Emergency Services, Sterling residents John and Carol Mottsinger spotted the fire across the river at around 8 a.m. Tuesday. The Mottsinger's called neighbor Barbara Bleves, who lives across the Kenai River near where the burning cabin was spotted.
Bleves, in turn, called 9-1-1. Within 15 minutes, crews from the Funny River CES station arrived at the cabin, where they found flames coming from the roof of the structure located 4.5 miles past the end of Funny River Road.
Two engines, three tankers, a medic unit and two command vehicles, as well as 12 personnel, responded to the scene. The fire was declared out within 48 minutes of the first arriving engine.
According to a press release issued by CES, efforts to control the blaze were initially hampered by a downed power line, which is also believed to have caused the blaze.
The cabin, a small, single story wood structure owned by William Chadwick, sustained approximately $4,000 in damage, mainly to its roof and wiring.
