(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Ketchikan Fire Department was dispatched to a report of an automatic fire alarm activation at Tongass Towers reported by the alarm company Tuesday night at 11:19 PM. The first unit to arrive heard the audible sprinkler alarm and requested a call for additional responders. While searching the building, they encountered light smoke and water in the hallway on the 11th floor and requested mutual aid from North and South Tongass Fire Departments.

Firefighters made entry into the involved apartment and began a primary search, they immediately located and removed one occupant from the apartment who was unharmed. A second occupant, 49-year-old Weston Scott Davis, was subsequently located and removed by the responders from the room of the fire's origin. According to information provided by the Ketchikan Fire Department's Chief Abner Hoage, despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pictured left to right: FF/Medic Terry Roberts, Assistant Chief Scott Brainard, Senior Medic Greg Karlik, & Captain Dave Breitkreutz
Photo courtesy of Gretchen O’Sullivan, Senior Medic, Ketchikan Fire Department

Weston was a long time resident of Ketchikan. He is the son of Ketchikan resident Cheri L. Davis who served the local district as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1989-1992. Weston is also survived by two brothers, Ryan James Davis of San Diego, CA and Glenn Thomas Davis of Sunnyvale, CA.

Davis' body was turned over to the Ketchikan Police Department and will be sent to the State Medical Examiner for determination of cause of his cause of death. A third building occupant not from the involved apartment was also evaluated for medical issues and released at the scene. Names of the surviving first and second occupants were not released.

In all thirty-one firefighters and Emergency Medical Service providers with ten apparatus responded from Ketchikan Fire Department, South Tongass Volunteer Fire Department, and North Tongass Volunteer Fire Department, as well as three officers from the Ketchikan Police Department.

According to Fire Chief Hoage, the fire was contained to the room of origin and under control within approximately twenty-minutes of arrival on scene; however, crews remained on scene conducting salvage & overhaul operations and protecting property from further water damage for several hours.

Chief Hoage said the Fire Marshal has investigated the scene and has determined the fire was ignited by smoking materials.

Hoage said there were no smoke detectors were in the apartment; however, the building fire sprinkler system did activate containing the fire to a single room.

Chief Hoage said, "The public is reminded that smoke detectors provide an early warning to fires within a building and recommends an operating smoke detector be installed in every bedroom an on each level of your home and that they be tested regularly and have fresh batteries installed once per year."

Davis graduated from Ketchikan High School in 1986.

As a freelance photographer, Weston Davis provided news photographs to SitNews off-and-on over the past several years.

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