Fire damages Mendenhall Valley home; no people injured, dog dies

Family in Hawaii when fire occurs, unsure where they will live when they return home this week; GoFundMe states damage to belongings means they are ‘starting over from scratch’

Firefighters respond to a Mendenhall Valley home fire Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Capital City Fire/Rescue photo)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

This story has been updated with additional information.

A fire damaged a Mendenhall Valley home and killed a dog Saturday night, but no people were inside or injured, according to Capital City Fire/Rescue.

However, damage to the interior and many belongings in the home is extensive, said Makayla Clements, who lives at the home near the Juneau Wrestling Club with her partner and their two children, in an interview Sunday. The family was in Hawaii when the fire occurred and plans to remain there until the end of their scheduled trip Thursday since they don’t yet have a place to live when they return to Juneau.

"I have people in the home today who are kind of trying to sort through the items that absolutely won't be able to be salvageable, to try to figure out replacing the items versus maybe what items that we might be able to salvage from it," she said. "So at this point, I don't yet know. Right now we're kind of just getting together sizes for clothing and stuff, because I don't know. Other than the stuff that we packed for Hawaii, which is not Juneau weather, that's about the clothing that I know that I have."

A GoFundMe for the family was set up Sunday by an aunt of Clements. It states the family "will be returning home on Friday to find nothing left."

"The funds raised will go directly toward helping them secure temporary housing, purchase food and basic clothing, and begin the clean-up and disposal of what remains of their home," the fundraiser page states. "Every dollar will help them cover immediate needs and take the first steps toward rebuilding their lives. They have lost everything, and your support can make a real difference during this incredibly hard time."

A home damaged by a fire Saturday night is seen in a photo published as part of a GoFundMe campaign organized by a relative of the family living at the residence. (GoFundMe photo provided by Debrah Clements)

Clements said her family left for their trip Friday morning and a neighbor called at about 9:45 p.m. Saturday to report the house was on fire, and that the fire and police departments had already been contacted and were responding.

Capital City Fire/Rescue stated in a Facebook post Sunday they were notified about the fire by a passerby. Firefighters arriving at the scene found "an active structure fire that had vented to the exterior of the home," according to CCFR.

"Crews quickly began suppression efforts and were able to bring the fire under control," the post states. "Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the incident and no injuries have been reported. Unfortunately, they did lose their dog. Our hearts go out to the family. Pets are part of the family, and we know this is a very difficult loss."

Clements said the family also has a cat at the home that has not been located.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to CCFR. Clements said she has been told it may have been an electrical fire of some sort, but noted the family didn’t leave the heat on and isn’t aware of anything else that might have been the cause.

"I want the community to just make sure that they watch out for themselves," she said. "Because I never thought that this was going to happen to me. I thought I did all the things that I needed to do to be able to leave my house for a few days for vacation — and anything can happen."

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.