Photos by Jeffrey Hastings/Frame of Mind Photo
MANCHESTER, NH –A fire at 742 Brent St. Saturday may have been sparked by an electrical problem. The blaze gutted an attached garage and also caused some damage to a neighbor’s home, fire officials said.
According to Manchester Fire Department District Chief Michael Gamache, numerous calls came in simultaneously around 2:15 p.m. reporting the fire. The first arriving engine was from station 3 on Harvey Road. Due to the location of this home in the southernmost part of the city, it took 9 minutes for the first fire crew to arrive, Gamache said.
Crews encountered a garage fully involved with flames, and fire was beginning to spread into the home. Homeowners Geoff and Staci Bisset, and another family member, had evacuated with their dog before fire crews arrived.
Firefighters entered the residence to do a search and extinguish the blaze, which was breaking through into the attic and second floor of the home. Although the garage and its contents were a total loss, firefighters contained the fire and kept it from the main living area. The home did sustain some fire damage in addition to extensive smoke, heat and water damage. Firefighters recovered many of the family’s possessions before they sustained permanent damage.
The extended fire department response time gave the fire a considerable head start before crews arrived, which initially put arriving crews at a disadvantage.
Damage is estimated at $100,000 to the home where the fire originated. A neighbor’s home at 752 Brent St. suffered exterior damage due to the radiant heat from the fire, with estimated damage of about $10,000.
One firefighter sustained a minor injury while battling the blaze. He was treated at the scene by AMR and continued to work the fire. The cause remains under investigation, but may have been related to the electrical system.
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