By Rob Stapleton
Alaska Journal of Commerce

A fire that started on Christmas Day completely destroyed the Frontier Flying Service passenger terminal and freight warehouse in Barrow.

According to Craig Kenmouth, general manger of Frontier Flying Service, the $2 million building was a declared a total loss by noon Dec. 26.

"The fire started sometime on Christmas Day and smoldered overnight. By 6 a.m. the next morning it was discovered engulfed in flames," Kenmouth said.

Frontier Flying Service bought Cape Smythe in August 2005, acquiring its base of operations in Barrow.

The building - the old Wein, MarkAir and Cape Smythe terminal - was only partially insured, according to company officials.

With the cooperation of employees and the community, Frontier Flying Services was able to make their regularly scheduled flight at 8 a.m. Dec. 27.

"We would like to thank the many people in Barrow who responded and helped out," Kenmouth said. "Many of these people I had never met or seen before. It is a testament to the quality of the people in this community, and we thank them."

Moving forward after the loss, employees and volunteers from the community cleaned, painted and rearranged the old Alaska Airlines terminal and hangar to the east.

"We even got the Barrow Postmaster to come out and give us an inspection to be able to carry mail," Kenmouth said.

"Immediately after the fire, we started in on the old Alaska Airlines terminal," Kenmouth said. "We patched, painted the walls, put in telephones and fax machines. Barrow Utilities came out and hooked us up along with Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative."

Lead technician Aaron Blooding and Jeff Anderson, a technician, went out on the holiday and hooked the hangar up so the company would not lose calls, said Alys Orsborn, exchange manager for ASTAC. "We gave them some phone instruments to get them up and running also."

The fire was reportedly so hot that it melted the pay phones on the building, along with the coins in them, according to Orsborn.

No equipment was lost in the fire as it was all parked at a shed outside of the hangar.

Frontier had previously occupied the old Alaska terminal before the Cape Smythe purchase.

"Well we moved out of the terminal in 2005, and then moved back in 2006," Kenmouth said.

Rob Stapleton can be reached at rob.stapleton@alaskajournal.com.