Additional details have been received on the fire that destroyed the concession employee dorm at Wahweap on Sunday evening (see yesterday’s edition for the original report). When responding firefighters arrived at the dorm, they found it filled with smoke with flames showing on the exterior. The 24-unit building was quickly searched without result and an exterior attack was begun. About 30 minutes into the fire, the concession risk manager reported that one of the residents could not be accounted for. A decision was made to send two teams of rescuers to check specific dorm rooms. Park firefighter Jeff Wilson and Page FD firefighter PJ Marlow made a forced entry into one of the rooms and found the missing person by using a thermal imaging device to penetrate the dense smoke. He was evacuated, taken by ambulance to Page Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, then flown to Flagstaff Medical Center. He remains there in critical condition. Initial attack was made by NPS fire captains Shawn McNally, Heath Beard, Eric Scott and Chris Cook and firefighters Jared St. Clair and Jeff Wilson. Additional assistance was by provided by firefighters Laurie Axelsen, Kean Mihata, Scott Larson, Lance Mattson, Brent McGinn and Ben Davis. Three mutual aid engine crews provided critical support. Suppression operations lasted for over six hours. The concessioner, Aramark-Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas, has four other dorm buildings at this location, all of which were protected. The 21 residents displaced by the fire have been accommodated elsewhere. In addition to numerous NPS personnel, firefighters from Page Fire Department and Greenehaven Fire Department also responded. The cause is still unknown; an investigation is currently underway. The IC was Shawn McNally.
