Residential, Single Family Home

Derry, NH – Sprinkler system helps 14-year-old girl escape intense garage fire

Fire officials say a residential sprinkler system helped knock down an intense garage fire at 3 Alder Court on Monday, and also helped save a 14-year-old girl who was home at the time.The girl was in the basement and unaware of the fire in the attached garage until she noticed water running from the sprinkler system and saw smoke filling the house. After seeing the garage was on fire, she was able to escape, said Derry fire Lt. Jack Webb.The forward progress of the fire in the garage was stopped until firefighters could arrive and extinguish the blaze. “That sprinkler system stopped the fire,” Webb said, adding “it allowed the little girl to get out of the house.”Firefighters were able rescue a small dog that was uninjured, he said. The first call came into the dispatch center at 3:36 p.m. and crews were on the scene at 3:44 p.m., Webb said.When they arrived, the garage was fully involved, with fire above the roof line.Firefighters from four stations responded to the blaze that went to two alarms, Webb said. Crews had to contend with bitter cold and icy conditions. There were also five other calls that occurred in town during the fire, including a major sprinkler system burst at Shaw’s Supermarket.The crews poured a lot of water onto the garage of the two-story Colonial-style house and the fire was declared under control at about 5 p.m., Webb saidCrews remained on the scene until 7:23 p.m. for overhaul and to assist the family members recover their belongings. There was some extension of the fire into the attic and roof of farmer’s porch. The living area of the house received smoke and water damage; it will be uninhabitable until professionally cleaned, Webb said. The family was renting and will stay with relatives temporarily, he said. The garage and its contents are considered a complete loss. Fire loss, including contents of the garage, is estimated at $150,000. A corvette was lost in the blaze, Webb added.The cause of the fire isn’t suspicious and appears to be accidental, Webb said. –