ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An investigation was launched in Alaska after human remains were found following a fire that destroyed a cabin near a fishing lodge northwest of Anchorage, authorities said.
Alaska State Troopers said Friday that the cabin belonged to the the winter caretaker of the Wilderness Place Lodge, a sportfishing lodge near Lake Creek, the Anchorage Daily News reported. The creek runs south of Denali National Park and Reserve.
Troopers said the owner of the lodge contacted authorities on Feb. 8, saying they “had not heard from the lodge’s winter caretaker after he missed a weekly check-in.”
The owner said a resident nearby had rode a snow machine over to reach the caretaker and found the cabin “had been burned to the ground with no signs of recent activity or the caretaker,” authorities said.
Deputy fire marshals with the Alaska Department of Public Safety went to investigate and found human remains at the site, troopers said. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
State business records show that the lodge is owned by Jason Rockvam and Cory Wendt.
Wendt said on Friday that the cabin was located on one end of the property away from the lodge. He declined to provide additional comment.
The state medical examiner is expected to identify the remains. Alaska State Troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel said additional details will be released after next of kin are notified.
“The cabin was the only item burned out there,” McDaniel said, adding that weather issues prevented fire marshals from reaching the area earlier in the week.
The Associated Press
