MANCHESTER, NH – Fire officials report one person has died and another was transported from the scene of a late-night fire that displaced dozens of people and pets.
⇒ RELATED STORY: Autopsy scheduled for victim of April 25 fire
Below is a report from Manchester Fire Battalion Chief Jon Fosher:
Address: 245 Village Circle Way
Dispatch: 10:48 p.m.
Under Control: 12:42 a.m.
Resources: 1st Alarm: Engine 4, 5, 6, 11, 2 Truck 6&1, Car 1 ALS 4 2nd Alarm: Engine 10 & 7, Truck 7, 01, 02, 03 ALS 2&ALS3, PIC1, SFT1 3rd Alarm: Engine 8 &3, Air Unit, K2, K3, K4, K9, W4
Description of Incident: Companies were dispatched for a reported building fire located at 245 Village Circle Way at 10:48 p.m. En route fire alarm notified responding companies that they were receiving multiple calls of fire in the building.
The first company Engine 4, from Hackett Hill Road station, signed on the scene with heavy fire in the rear of a three-story occupied multiple-family dwelling with multiple people trapped. A second alarm was requested en route from Car 1 adding additional resources due to the size of the building and the number of residents.
Multiple rescues were made by crews on the exterior and interior via ground ladders and interior stairwells. Two civilians, one in serious and one in critical condition, were transported to the Elliot Hospital for medical treatment. A third alarm was dispatched to add additional crews. Crews quickly worked to contain and extinguish the fire as interior searches were performed throughout the building.
The incident was declared under control at 12:42 a.m. with a loss stop at 1:02 a.m. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Manchester Fire Prevention Bureau and the State of NH Fire Marshall at this time.
Civilian Injuries: One adult male and one adult female were transported from the incident. It was not immediately known how many people were displaced.
Emergency Service Injuries: Two members reported injuries at this time.
Special Circumstances: The fire building presented itself with limited access to apparatus. The front of the building, being the only open side, required long stretches of fire hoses to the rear of the building. Most of the residents were at home due to the time of the incident which led to a large number of potential occupants needing assistance. In addition, companies worked to overcome water supply issues and topography. Many pets were rescued and reunited with their owners including a cat that received oxygen from AMR ambulance crews, and survived.
Due to the size of the building and the number of occupants, a second and third alarm was requested, bringing almost 100 firefighters to the scene, including off-duty personnel. Several cities and towns provided station coverage to the Manchester stations.
Fire Cause: Still under investigation
Incident Commander: Battalion Chief Jon Fosher
Due to the size of the building and the number of occupants, a second and third alarm was requested, bringing almost 100 firefighters to the scene, including off-duty personnel. Several cities and towns provided station coverage to the Manchester stations.
In the aftermath, Granite State Dog Recovery issued the following offer to residents.
Attention Manchester, NH residents affected by the recent apartment fire on Village Way! If your pets are in need of emergency supplies like food, leashes, collars, crates, or temporary housing, we’re here to help. Please reach out to us at 1-855-639-5678.
GALLERY by Jeffrey Hastings
Jeffrey Hastings contributed to this report.
