1 dead following roof collapse at gym in Taku/Campbell neighborhood

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - One person is dead and two are injured following a roof collapse at a commercial building on East 76th Avenue Friday evening, according to Anchorage Fire Department officials.

Department Assistant Chief Alex Boyd said one of the injured was taken to a local hospital for treatment, while the other received medical attention at the scene.

Boyd said that AFD units arrived at 5:28 p.m., just two minutes after receiving the call. An Anchorage police officer at the scene said the Turnagain CrossFit gym is one of the businesses affected by the collapse.

Boyd said that one person has already been extricated from the building and another person has been located within the structure but had not yet been rescued.

The Old Seward Highway is closed at 76th Avenue, and Boyd said it will likely remain closed for much of Friday evening.

“Initial reports had that one victim is entrapped, one unaccounted for within the rubble. A third victim was treated outside the building that had extra created. About an hour after our arrival, crews were able to extricate the one entrapped victim and transported them to the hospital. Shortly after that, a third person was located in the wreckage,” Boyd said. “Crews will be on scene for a bit longer working to stabilize the wreckage.”

The Anchorage Fire Department’s heavy rescue unit was among those who responded. Heavy equipment will be used to stabilize the building to prevent and search for victims, according to AFD.

“We believe that we do have all folks that were in the building at the time accounted for and with the location of all three folks on scene, those were the ones that were unaccounted for after our arrival,” Boyd said.

The fire department requested that people stay clear of the area near Old Seward Highway and East 76th Avenue so first responders can assist victims.

“Parts of the building are still unstable. And that’s why we’re working with building safety and building engineers to maintain the building itself,” Boyd said. “However, the main building that is affected is the only one we’re currently worried about.”

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