House falls into river during breakup

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - At about 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, part of an abandoned house broke off and fell into the Tanana River.

As breakup season has pushed on, erosion from the Tanana River has become a cause for concern along the Richardson Highway. In some areas, erosion has become so bad that the embankments have become hazardous.

On May 7, a structure near mile 330 of the Richardson Highway was impacted by the heavy erosion as the foundation below it has become weak. In the early afternoon, part of the home fell into the river, tearing off from the remainder of the structure. The part that fell into the river was carried off downstream while the rest remains on land. So far, there is no report of contamination to the river.

The Department of Transportation responded with emergency operations adding around 200 truck loads of heavy rocks to the surrounding embankment. They will also remain in the area for observation.

Copyright 2023 KTVF. All rights reserved.