A chimney fire that burned out of control ended up destroying a small cabin off the Alaska Highway near Whitehorse on Friday afternoon.

Kevin Taylor, a fire inspector with the territory, said this morning crews were called at 11:37 a.m. to the approximately 350-square-foot cabin at Mile 944 (Kilometre 1,519).

Those who were in the cabin at the time told fire crews they had tried to extinguish a chimney blaze, but it had spread to the attic.

'It got out of hand,' Taylor said.

Chief Bob Atkinson of the Ibex Valley Volunteer Fire Department said this morning flames were leaping six to nine metres (20 to 30 feet) in the air with the blaze well on its way to destroying the home by the time firefighters arrived.

They tried to put out the blaze, but the cabin and everything in it was destroyed. Firefighters were on the scene until shortly after 5 p.m., Atkinson said.

One of the two residents who lived there received stitches after something fell on her as she was leaving the cabin, the fire chief said.

Due to the heavy damage, it's been determined an investigation can't be done on the blaze, fire marshal Marty Dobbin said this morning.

That means, though it appears the chimney fire started the blaze, the formal cause will remain undetermined.

It was unknown this morning if the cabin's occupants have found a place to stay or if any donations are being collected for them.