A blaze that began in the boiler room of an East Anchorage apartment building displaced four families Wednesday night, Anchorage Fire Department Sr. Capt. Ted Fussell said.
AFD received the initial report of the fire at 521 E. Pine St. around 6:30 p.m., but by 8 p.m. the fire had been put out. There were no reported injuries.
According to Fussell, the fire burned through the floor of the building and took out the heat, electricity and gas.
"It's not livable right now," Fussell said. He estimated the total cost of the damage to be between $30,000 and $50,000.
Fussell also added that firefighters were able to rescue several pet birds from the building. A Red Cross of Alaska disaster action team was also on-site offering assistance.
Although Fussell did not know exactly how many people were displaced, Red Cross regional communications officer Beth Bennett said the agency estimates it was more than 12.
"We will be helping to find lodging for those who've been displaced," Bennett said.