MANCHESTER, NH — A ceiling fire in a six-unit apartment house on Belmont Street Friday morning left all the building’s occupants displaced, and caused an estimated $75,000 in damages.
The fire was called in March 25 by a second-floor resident of 225 Belmont St. just before 9 a.m., according to District Fire Chief Michael Gamache. Initial report was a ceiling fire.
Gamache said there was a slight delay in notifying the fire department, as the tenant called building management before he called 911. Fire crews from Somerville station 7 arrived 1 minute after it was dispatched and encountered smoke coming from the second and third floors, in addition to the attic.
Crews advanced a hose line up to the third floor and began searching for occupants while attempting to extinguish the blaze. The conditions encountered by the advancing fire crews on the third floor included zero visibility and high heat. Additional crews arrived and headed up to the second floor where they encountered significant fire above the dropped ceiling area. As crews attacked these flames additional crews escorted several occupants and pets from the building.
Gamache said the tenement was built in 1910, and its old style balloon construction allowed the fire to spread undetected for a period of time.
No injuries were reported.
The fire is currently under investigation by the Manchester Fire Department’s fire marshal’s office. It is not considered to be suspicious at this time, Gamache said. The Red Cross will be assisting the occupants of three north side apartments, who will be displaced for an extended period of time. The occupants of the three units on the south side of the building will be displaced for a short period of time The property owner is the Alex Kelton 2002 trust.
