After fatal trailer fire, brother-in-law who let victim share his home now needs to find a new one
- Mark Sabbatini
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
Michael Wright says he tried to help Calvin Olsen by giving him a temporary place to stay; instead Olsen died at the home alone and Wright lost what scarce belongings he had
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
There wasn’t a lot at the home, but Michael Wright said he was willing to share it with his brother-in-law, Calvin Olsen, so he had a place to stay while ailing from medical problems during Juneau’s harsh December weather.
But now Wright is trying to cope with the loss of his home and possessions, as well as his in-law, after Olsen died Saturday night while alone in the trailer at Switzer Village Mobile Home Park. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the Juneau Police Department stated in a news release Monday.
"I'm still trying to process everything that's going on," Wright said in an interview Monday morning. "I don't even know what to think of it. I'm still in a little bit of shock right now."
Wright said he is staying with a sister in town for now and is scheduled to reside in a halfway house for the next seven months, but isn’t sure where he’ll go beyond that after living in the trailer for the past five years. He said he also lost what belongings were inside.
"I didn't have a whole lot," he said. "I just only had clothes and a TV and a couple Playstations. Other than that, it was in bad shape."
But it still meant Olsen had a safe space to be while trying to cope with a recent cancer diagnosis, being out of work after suffering an injury at a construction job and going through other recent personal struggles that included being apart from his family. He moved to Juneau in 2016 and helped launch the tribal auto detailing business Sacred Shine in 2018, but Wright said his brother-in-law was considering options including moving to the Lower 48 after his recent setbacks.
"Mentally he seemed pretty good," Wright said. "He was talking about old memories with his wife and the kids, and his mental state seemed pretty good. And he was having a game plan — he was looking forward and trying to figure out how to go back down south somewhere."
But Olsen’s wife, Jennifer (See Éi) Olsen, who was outside Juneau on the day of the fire, said her husband was in serious pain that evening. He had a brother — not Wright — bring him to the hospital, only to decide he didn’t want to seek treatment and asked the brother to come back in an hour after being dropped off at the trailer.
When the brother returned the trailer was on fire. Wright said a call from that brother is how he learned his home was engulfed.
"When I got back the flames were already too bad for anyone to go near it," Wright said. "From what I heard his brother did try — he said he was going to try to break the door down, but the door was so hot he couldn't get in."
Wright said he works two different janitorial jobs so his days are busy — and that is also helping as he tries to recover from his losses.
"One of my bosses actually bought me more clothes than I had," he said. "I'm not too worried about TV and the PlayStation. I can get those later."
Olsen’s family has established a GoFundMe to help the family with funeral, travel and other costs.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
