The only store the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta village of Kasigluk burned down on the night of Sept. 10, leaving residents without a place in town to buy groceries, clothes, and other supplies. The community is locked down to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, which meant that Kasigluk couldn’t get help from nearby villages to fight the flames.
Kasigluk Police Chief Brian Noratak’s long night began around 7 p.m. on Sept. 10. He was in the police station when he heard the store’s fire alarm go off.
“And [it’s] only less than a minute to walk to the store from the police station,” Noratak said.
When Noratak arrived, he saw smoke billowing from the building. The store had been closed for less than an hour.
“It started in the office. I know the office area, the entrance, and then it worked its way back towards the back of the store,” Noratak said.