Despite efforts from neighbors and firefighters, a woman died following a Mendenhall Valley house fire Monday night.
The woman, whose name has not been released pending family notification, died after neighbors removed her from a smoke-filled residence on Dogwood Lane and attempted CPR on her before firefighters arrived on scene.
The fire took place on Dogwood Lane, shortly after 6:30 p.m., said CCFR Assistant Chief Travis Mead.
Once firefighters arrived on the scene, they took over CPR, and the woman was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital, Mead said.
At the hospital, the person went into cardiac arrest and was unable to be resuscitated, according to CCFR.
Foul play is not suspected, but City and Borough of Juneau Fire Marshals are investigating the fire, according CCFR. CCFR Fire Marshal Dan Jager said in a release on Tuesday that the fire was likely started in the kitchen, and that a melted appliance was seized for evidence, to see if it was the source of the fire.
The woman will be transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Anchorage for an autopsy as part of the investigation.
At least seven bystanders pitched in, even knocking down the fire in the kitchen area before firefighters could arrive on scene.
“Most of the fire appeared to be knocked down by whatever means they had,” Mead said of what he encountered upon arriving at the house.
By 7 p.m. Monday, firefighters and vehicles were beginning to leave the scene.
Mead said no one else was injured as a result of the fire, and the house was badly damaged by smoke. The damage is estimated at roughly $30,000, the release states. It is unknown at this time if the home was insured.
CCFR’s press release cautioned citizens not to place themselves in a dangerous situation when deciding to rescue someone from a burning structure, warning that without protective gear or an independent air supply, would-be rescuers can become additional victims, complicating the scene. The press release recommends calling 911 immediately and staying on the phone with the dispatcher.
• Reporter Michael S. Lockett contributed reporting to this article.
