1959 — April 28, Fire, coal-burning stove explosion, Nayakik cabin, Barrow, AK — 8
–8 Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Family of 8 Dead in Barrow Fire.” 4-28-1959, p. 1.
–8 NFPA. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959.” NFPA Quarterly, Vol. 53, July 1960, p. 16
Narrative Information
National Fire Protection Association:
“Dwelling of Willie Nayakik; Barrow, Alaska, April 28, 7:25 A.M.
“8 Killed: 2 Adults, 6 Children
“This 15 ft. by 25 ft. wooden, 1-story dwelling contained a bedroom at one end, a living room the middle and a small room used for a grocery store at the other end. There were no doors in the doorways between rooms….” (National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959.” Quarterly of the [NFPA], Vol. 53, July 1960, pp. 16-17 of pp. 7-38.)
Newspaper
April 28: “Point Barrow, April 28 – Fire snuffed out the lives of all eight members of a Point Barrow family today. The dead are Mr. and Mrs. Willie C. Nayakik and their six children ranging in age from one year to 13. Mrs. Nayakik was expecting another child….
“Fire swept the little dwelling and grocery store at the edge of Alaska’s largest Eskimo village shortly after 7 a.m. Eben Hopson, member of the first Alaska State Legislature, was one of the first on the scene. Because of heavy plumes of suffocating smoke and flames, neither he nor any of the other villagers who rushed to the scene were able to break into the cabin.
“After the flames raced through the flaming tomb – a mere matter of about 15 minutes – a heart-breaking story of a struggle to live was revealed. The body of Nayakik was found beneath the bed where he had apparently crawled in an effort to escape the deadly blaze. Near the bed, a bedroom window was broken from the inside. Hopson believes that Mrs. Nayakik awoke in time to make an escape attempt. ‘She probably broke the window but was unable to get out that way so she grabbed two of her little ones in her arms and frantically groped her way to the door about 15 feet away,’ Hopson said. ‘We found her body against the door. Close beside her – one on each side – were the bodies of two of her babies. She had tried to break out, but the door was locked and she collapsed there. We figure she either carried the little ones in her arms or dragged them to the door.’ Bodies of the remaining four children were found in their beds. They had not stirred – apparently having died in their sleep.
“Hopson believes the fire started in a coal-burning stove which had been banked for the night. ‘When I broke the window, I got a smell of the fumes. They weren’t oil – they were coal fumes – and I could just imagine how one whiff of those terrible fumes would put you under. Apparently the family banked the coal stove during the night. Fumes from the unburned coal gathered and began to pour from the stove. Then, in a sudden flash, the cabin exploded in flame, bringing death to the entire family. It was the worst tragedy in the history of Barrow. ‘We have had larger fires, but none in which so many people lost their lives,’ Hopson said. ‘Our village is in mourning.’
“The Nayakik family ran a small grocery store on the premises. They are formerly from Wainwright. Mrs. Nayakik was in her late 20’s and her husband in the middle 30’s. Her maiden name was Bessie Ungudruk. Her parents reside in Barrow. The Ungudruks were among the several hundred persons gathered at the fire scene. Nayakik formerly worked on Dewline construction and for the Office of Naval Research. Today, men of the village have been appointed to fashion caskets of pine wood…” (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Family of 8 Dead in Barrow Fire.” 4-28-1959, pp. 1 and 7.)
Sources
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, AK. “Family of 8 Dead in Barrow Fire.” 4-28-1959, pp. 1 and 7. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=67338697&sterm
National Fire Protection Association. “Large Loss of Life Fires of 1959.” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 53, July 1960, pp. 16-17 of pp. 7-38.