Tag Archives: New Hampshire

Apartment Building, Residential

Exeter, NH – Sprinkler system activated for vehicle fire in parking garage; No injuries reported

A sprinkler system is being credited with stopping the spread of a vehicle fire in the parking garage at the bottom of an Exeter apartment building Sunday morning.

The fire started just before 3 a.m. in Building A on Willey Creek Road inside the Ray Farm community off Route 27 in Exeter, according to Exeter Fire Chief Eric Wilking. Residents of four story building were evacuated for about an hour as firefighters put out the blaze and remained on scene to remove smoke and remove the smell of smoke and gasoline from the garage, stairways and hallways.

“This fire certainly had the potential to spread, but the sprinkler system and quick work of our crews kept it at bay. The incident is a good reminder about the effectiveness of a working sprinkler system,” Fire Chief Eric Wilking said in a statement.

No one was injured in the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Bedford, NH – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

Bedford fire, and police responded to a call for fire alarms that were activated at 15 Iron Horse Drive, Unit B, on Sunday.

While en route, at about 4 p.m. responding units were advised callers could see smoke from outside the building, and smoke was filling the hallways.

Firefighters arrived and had smoke showing from some of the second-floor windows, and the sprinkler system activated in part of the building. Merrimack firefighters were also requested to respond with additional apparatus and other towns responded for station coverage.

Several people were evacuating the building on their own, and firefighters and police officers went from apartment to apartment, evacuating those occupants that had remained inside the building.

Firefighters made entry into a second-floor apartment that appeared to be the source of the smoke. They located a burning couch that the sprinkler system had mostly extinguished and a heavy smoke condition in the apartment and in the hallway.

Crews removed the couch and pushed it off the second-floor balcony, and opened windows to allow smoke to clear. Fans were used to eject smoke from the apartment and hallways.

A large group of residents watched from the parking lot as firefighters fought the fire, and water poured out of the building from the sprinkler system.

The fire appears to have been limited to a single apartment, but several apartments had water damage from the activated sprinkler system. Bedford fire said many people would be displaced from the large multi-unit apartment building.

The fire was brought under control within about 30 minutes, and it did not appear any occupants or firefighters were injured.

The fire will be investigated by the Bedford Fire Department.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Manchester, NH – Sprinkler system activated for early morning fire at mall

An early-morning fire alarm activation at the Mall of New Hampshire Sunday was caused by an electrical fire originating with a massage chair, according to fire officials.

At 1:24 a.m. an alarm was triggered at the Mall, 1500 South Willow St. followed by a report of smoke near the food court as fire companies were en route.

Upon arrival Engine 3 entered the mall to find smoke generated from a massage chair that caught fire. The sprinkler system had activated and contained the fire to the area of origin, and remaining fire in the area was extinguished by the Engine 3 crew. 

There was water damage in the immediate area along with heavy smoke damage throughout the mall. Ventilation of the building was a challenge due to the size of the affected area, fire officials said.

As of 11 a.m. the mall was open for shopping, according to personnel in the mall’s security office.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Concord, NH – Fire at pet store extinguished by sprinkler system; No injuries reported

Concord firefighters quickly extinguished a fire at Petco in Concord on Monday night with no injuries to people or animals. 

Shortly after 8:30 p.m., the department was alerted to an alarm at the Fort Eddy Road store. Companies arrived on the scene in less than four minutes and found the sprinkler system running.

A fire was burning in the grooming area was extinguished by Concord firefighters by 8:55 p.m. Concord Fire Marshal Paul Sirois determined the cause of the fire to be a malfunctioning air blower fan.

None of the mulititude of animals in the store were injured, firefighters said.

Firefighters remained on the scene for three hours removing smoke and water to prevent further damage and to conduct the investigation.

Apartment Building, Residential

Nashua, NH – Sprinkler system activated, kept apartment fire from spreading

Nashua fire and rescue teams were sent to an apartment building on West Pearl Street on Sunday for a fire.

Around 3:45 a.m., an alarm activation was reported at 123 West Pearl St., a 42-unit apartment building. Firefighters, according to Deputy Chief William Atkinson, saw smoke coming from the second floor of the building and requested an additional engine and ladder to the building.

“Due the aggressive interior work of our members, the fire was contained to a mattress in the apartment,” he said. “Two sprinkler heads activated keeping the fire from spreading.”

Atkinson said there was “significant water damage to the first floor store and basement display area.” He added, “Our members performed salvage operations to cover and protect the contents in the store.”

The fire marshal’s office posted more information on Facebook.

Smoke detectors, Atkinson said, alerted occupants to the fire.

The fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Concord, NH – Fire quickly contained due to sprinkler system

A fire at a business on Sheep Davis Road on Tuesday has been deemed accidental by the city’s fire marshal.

Concord fire and rescue teams were sent to 215 Sheep Davis Road around 2 p.m. for a fire. Concord Fire Marshal Paul Sirois said an overheated light fixture, installed in a store rack, ignited combustible materials on and near the rack. The fire was contained by sprinklers and overhauled and cleared by firefighters — who checked for spread and removed smoke from the building.

Chief Sean Brown said Thursday the fire showed the “value” of having a sprinkler system in a business or home.

“The fire department received the initial call for an odor of smoke in the building while there were already three other active incidents going on in the city,” he said. “This led to a limited amount of resources available to respond as well as units responding from further away. Had the sprinkler system not helped to contain the fire, it is likely that the damage would have been significantly worse.”

Concord police assisted and Loudon firefighters were called to Concord for mutual aid during the incident.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Manchester, NH – Fire held in check after Breweries meat smoker caught fire; No injuries reorted

A fire inside a meat smoker Wednesday morning caused significant water and smoke damage to the Backyard Brewery restaurant on Mammoth Road, a fire official said.

Smoke was pouring from the second floor of the large restaurant when firefighters arrived about 8:20 a.m., said Manchester Fire Capt. Jon Starr.

The smoke was coming from a fire in a smoker, he said. The building’s sprinklers kept the fire in check until firefighters could extinguish it with a hose, he said.

Water damage to two kitchens was extensive, he said. The Fire Department turned the restaurant over to the city Health Department, which will determine when it can reopen.

The restaurant and brewery is located at the site of the former Yard restaurant.

In a Facebook post, the restaurant said no one was injured and the building suffered no structural damage.

“We are going to work as hard as possible to get up and running again,” a post read. Four-packs of their brewery products remain available for sale, they said.

College/University (on campus), School / University

Hanover, NH – Bathroom fire at Dartmouth fraternity contained thanks to fire sprinklers

Local fire departments on Sunday afternoon responded to a fire at Phi Delta Alpha fraternity. The fire was confined to the third-floor bathroom of the fraternity and quickly extinguished, according to Hanover Fire Department captain Michael Gilbert.

The fire tripped a heat sensor on a third-floor sprinkler of the fraternity, leading water to spread and seep to the lower floors of the building. He said that representatives from the College will determine the implications of the damage — namely, if residents will be able to continue to reside in the building.

Associate director of residential operations Bernard Haskell said residents of the building would be rehoused in residence halls until the Hanover Fire Department confirms that the building is safe and the fraternity decides to allow students to return. Phi Delt is taking measures to repair damage done by the fire in order to make the house habitable again, according to Haskell.

“They’re reaching out to contractors now,” Haskell said.

As of press time, Phi Delt president Sean Keough ’20 said that he did not know about the extent and implications of the fire. 

The Hanover, Hartford and Lebanon fire departments all responded to the incident. 

Apartment Building, Residential

Keene, NH – Mattress fire on second-floor of apartment put out by fire sprinklers

A mattress fire at a Keene apartment Monday night caused an estimated $25,000 in damage, according to the Keene Fire Department.

The fire at 26 Citizens Way was contained and extinguished thanks to the building’s sprinkler system, according to a news release from the department.

Firefighters were called shortly after 9:30 p.m. to a second-floor apartment in the eight-unit building. The occupants were out of the apartment, and Keene police helped evacuate the two adjacent units, the news release said. The fire was declared under control at 10 p.m.

Three people were displaced by the fire, fire officials said, and the fire alarm worked properly to alert people to leave the building.

Though the fire was contained to a bedroom, there was heat, smoke and water damage on the second floor and water and smoke damage on the first floor, the news release said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Damage to the building and contents is pegged at about $25,000. Part of the Keene Highland Housing complex, it’s a property of Southwestern Community Services.

Manufacturing, Paper Mill / Saw Mill

Bennington, NH – Sprinkler system controlled fire at Paper Mill until fire crews arrived

Firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at Monadnock Paper Mills in Bennington Thursday morning around 9:45 a.m.

On scene, Monadnock Paper Mills Vice President of Human Resources Bill Peterson said the fire was caused by overheated ball bearings in a fan above one of the paper machines. The fan is above the mill’s machinery and is part of the buildings venting and cooling system.

The building is equipped with a sprinkler system, which was activated until fire crews arrived and were able to get the fire under control.

There were roughly 25 employees in the area where the fire started, Peterson said, who activated the fire protocols before evacuating with the entirety of the rest of the plant.

Peterson said the Monadnock Paper Mill’s 200 employees have multiple fire drills every year, and were able to follow those plans, and account for everyone.

“Folks got out when they were told to get out, and everything worked the way it was supposed to,” Peterson said. “This is why we do this.”

Bennington Deputy Fire Chief Keith Nason said when crews first arrived, they got the initial fire under control quickly, but then discovered the fire had spread into the ceiling, at which point he called for a second alarm.

“With an older building like this, which is very segmented, it can spread very quickly through the vent system, which it started in,” Nason said.

Fire crews remained on scene until noon, checking for fire burning in the ceiling or vents.

Peterson said he didn’t know how much damage had been caused yet, but said he had spoken with Antrim Fire Chief Marshall Gale, a former long-time employee of the plant, who knew the machinery and was assured repairs could likely be done in a few days.

“From that, we’re assuming the damage was minimal,” Peterson said. “We may have smoke damage and a whole lot of water to mop up.”

Peterson said the Paper Mill is not shut down, and that most employees would be able to return to work after the power – shut off during firefighting operations – was returned to the building. Before fire crews left the property maintenance staff had already been allowed to re-enter the building to assess the damage.

“We give our thanks to all the fire departments who showed up. It was a quick response, and very much appreciated by the 200 employees we have here,” Peterson said.

Bennington crews were assisted on the scene by fire crews from Antrim, Peterborough, Hillsborough, Hancock and Greenfield.