July 6, 2023 |
Photo – Alcova Fire – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
Independence Day celebrations were dampened in Natrona County by an early morning fire at the popular Alcova Resort southwest of Casper.
At approximately 5:00am, on the morning of July 4th, the Natrona County Fire District was alerted to a fire at the Alcova Reservoir Marina. Fire District Public Information Officer Layton Burgen said by the time fire fighters arrived on the scene, the structure was fully engulfed in flames.
Burgen said fire fighters battled the blaze for several hours and didn’t leave the scene until after midnight. No one was reported injured. Burgen said multiple emergency agencies helped the Natrona Fire District fight the flames.
The Alcova Reservoir is just north of the Carbon County line and 40 miles southwest of Casper. Burgen said, the restaurant’s remote location meant fire fighters were unable to save the Alvoca Resort building.
The reservoir was formed after the US Bureau of Reclamation completed the Alcova Dam in 1937. Burgen said the resort was built 20 years later. Burgen said the disaster did not ruin everyone’s 4th of July celebrations.
Burgen said no other structures were affected by the flames. He said damage was contained to the immediate area around the building. Burgen said the wet spring combined with calm weather helped prevent the fire from spreading.
After the flames at Alcova Resort – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
Burgen said investigators are looking into what sparked the fire. He said searchers have a lot of ground to cover.
In response to the loss of his business, the owner of the Alcova Resort, Sam Marion has created a GoFundMe page. As of yesterday afternoon, Marion has raised $1,115 of his $1 million goal.
The Natrona County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help. They’re asking anyone with videos or photos of the building fire before emergency personnel arrived on scene, at approximately 5:20 am, July 4th, to call the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch line at 307-235-9282.
