At least eight teenagers were injured after an explosion at a drinking party and bonfire on Kodiak Island in the early morning on Sunday. Five of those children were medevaced to Anchorage with moderate injuries, according to a release from Alaska State Troopers. None of the injuries are life-threatening.
“Thankfully, at this point, nobody has died from this — this tragic incident. We hope that parents are using this as an example of ways to communicate again with their students,” said Trooper Spokesperson Austin McDaniel.
Dozens of teenagers attended the party Saturday night at White Sands Beach – about a 15-minute drive north of Kodiak.
The explosion happened after one partygoer allegedly placed a 55-gallon fuel drum onto a fire pit. The Bayside Fire Department was on the scene around 1 a.m. on Sunday. Troopers are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Kodiak Trooper Post at (907) 486-4121.
“Anyone that was there and or anyone that has first hand knowledge of what occurred, is certainly asked to contact the Alaska State Troopers and Kodiak so that way we can speak with them and help understand more about what happened leading up to the teenager that placed the fuel drum in the fire,” McDaniel said.
Troopers said the individual who reportedly placed the drum on the fire was arrested and placed in the custody of the Division of Juvenile Justice.
Editor's Note: Alaska Public Media's Tim Rockey contributed to this reporting.
