Skrevet av: Kristoffer Leistad
Dato: 21.02.2007 14:16
About three o'clock in the morning of Wednesday 21 February, one of the Finnmarksløpet checkpoints began to burn.
Photograph: Pål Johansen
When the first fire engine arrived after 45 minutes, the fjellstue stood already on fire. No lives were lost.
Finnmarksløpet had members of its trail crew asleep in one of the fjellstue's cabins. Pål Johansen, who is responsible for marking this year's race trail, was woken at three o'clock by Levasjok's manager, Anne Margrethe Krogh Molle. - I went with Molle to the main building to try and douse the flames, but we soon realised that the fire was out of control, said Pål Johansen when we spoke to him.
There were two people in the building when the fire started, but both escaped without injury. Molle managed to retrieve only a parka and light clothing when she had to leave the building.
Fire engines came from Tana, Karasjok and Utsjok (Finland) to assist, but because the outside temperature was minus 30 degrees, the equipment did not last long. After only half an hour of intense activitiy, the fire crews had to give up, as the water in the hoses had frozen because of the extreme cold.
Levajok has been a checkpoint for Finnmarksløpet for many years.
Hans Petter Dalby, both an experienced musher and employee for Finnmarksløpet's administrative side said that everyone's thoughts go out to Molle, and that it was a blessing that no-one was injured. - We have already heard that the fjellstue wants a meeting with Finnmarksløpet, to find out how we can solve all the problems. All the cabins are intact, so the challenge is to provide a place where folk can eat and wait, both the public, the handlers, the media and Finnmarksløpet's crew, said Hans Petter to Finnmarksløpet.no