Tag Archives: New Hampshire

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

January 9, 2020 viking210

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

June 8, 2019 viking210

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.

Hotel / Motel, Hotel / Restaurant

Portsmouth, NH – Sprinkler system contains fire originating on outside wall of hotel

May 27, 2019 viking210

Firefighters on Thursday morning responded to a fire that appears to have started in an outside wall at the Anchorage Inn and Suites off Woodbury Avenue.

Interim Fire Chief Todd Germain said the department received multiple calls about the fire about 11:25 a.m.

When firefighters arrived, they saw “heavy flames” coming from a back wall at the hotel and they were able to quickly knock it down, Germain said at the scene.

Germain did not know immediately how many people were staying at the hotel at the time of the fire, but said everyone was evacuated safely.

After knocking the fire down, firefighters remained on scene as they dug into the outside wall to look into the interior and pour water on it.

“We’re just trying to make sure there’s no fires hidden inside the walls,” Germain said.

One sprinkler system did go off because of the fire, Germain said, but there appeared to be little or no significant damage to the inside of the hotel.

He planned to work with hotel management and city inspectors to see if hotel guests could return to their rooms Thursday, Germain said.

Firefighters could be seen washing down each other’s uniforms at the scene Thursday.

“That’s something we do as part of our protocol to make sure we’re not leaving any carcinogens on our uniform,” he said.

In addition to Portsmouth, firefighters from Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard responded to the one-alarm fire, he said.

The Anchorage Inn and Suites is near the Woodbury Avenue bridge, which was removed and is in the process of being replaced. The bridge closure did not slow the arrival of firefighters, Germain said.

“We know our way around,” he said with a smile.

Manufacturing, Manufacturing Plant

Nashua, NH – Factory fire held in check by sprinkler system; Firefighters extinguish blaze

March 29, 2019 viking210

Fire officials credited the sprinkler system in a large Crown Street factory with holding a smoky fire at bay until firefighters were able to get inside and attack the source of the flames late Saturday night. Capt. Karl Gerhard said crews responded shortly after 10 p.m. to Greenerd Press & Machine Co., 41 Crown St., after an activated sprinkler head triggered the building’s fire alarm system. At first, Gerhard said, firefighters found no indication of smoke or fire on three sides of the building. However, upon entering a secured fenced-off portion of the property and checking the fourth side, they cold see heavy smoke inside and water flowing from the sprinkler.

Crews forced their way in, and were met with “a heavy smoke condition” that caused “near-zero visibility,” Gerhard said. Due in large part to the size of the building, Gerhard said officials called for a working-fire response, which brought an additional engine and ladder truck to the scene. Meanwhile, firefighters, operating a hose line, made their way to the fire, which, Gerhard said, was being kept in check by water from the sprinkler.

Crews promptly extinguished the fire, which was declared under control 19 minutes after the first dispatch. Gerhard said crews spent an hour setting up large fans to remove smoke from the building. Nobody was inside at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. Gerhard said it appears the fire damage is minor, and that Greenerd employees will be able to conduct business as usual.

He said fire officials, after investigating the scene, ruled the fire accidental. Its likely cause, Gerhard said, was the improper disposal of rags containing chemicals used for staining, which resulted in spontaneous combustion. He pointed out the importance of reading and following manufacturers’ instructions regarding the proper disposal of cleaning rags, and cloths and rags used to apply finishing products.

Apartment Building, Residential

Plymouth, NH – Apartment fire extinguished with help from sprinkler system

February 21, 2019 viking210

Dozens of residents of a Plymouth apartment building were displaced after a fire Saturday morning.

The fire started in a kitchen on the third floor of Plymouth Terrace Apartments, a 30-unit building at 36 Adrians Way, the Plymouth Fire Department said in a press release. An automatic sprinkler system knocked down most of the blaze, and fire damage was contained to the unit.

The Red Cross and the town have set up shelter at Plymouth Town Hall to help those displaced.

Other - Retail, Retail

Winchester, NH – Sprinkler system activated at fire in fireworks store

December 19, 2018 viking210

A 75-year-old Winchester man faces seven charges, including four felonies, after state and local law enforcement officials said the wanton discharge of his shotgun set off a massive fire in September at a nearby fireworks store that caused up to $1 million in damages.

Joseph E. Champagne was released on bail.

He will be arraigned Jan. 3 in the 8th Circuit Court Keene District Division on felony charges of reckless conduct, criminal mischief and two counts of falsifying physical evidence, officials said.

Champagne also was charged with theft by unauthorized taking, false swearing and unauthorized use of a firearm.

The arrest follows a joint investigation of State Fire Marshal Paul Parisi’s office and the Winchester Fire and Police departments into the Sept. 24 fire at Stateline Fireworks at 151 Keene Road in Winchester.

According to store executives, Champagne was working part time as a groundskeeper for the owner’s family at the time of the fire.

The fireworks store was open at the time of the fire and was staffed by two employees who were working outside.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries but the blaze caused between $600,000 and $1 million in damages, Parisi said. Store executives put the damage at about $700,000.

All of the fire sprinkler heads in the business’s showroom worked and there was a speedy local public safety response, which saved the building and kept the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.

Winchester Fire Chief Barry Kellom and Winchester Police Lt. Mike Tollett said the probe confirmed that Champagne had discharged his 12-gauge slug-style shotgun and that the slug traveled through the exterior wall of nearby 156 Keene Road and traveled across Route 10 and into the Stateline Fireworks store — immediately setting off the fireworks stored inside.

Parisi said the chain-reaction explosions that ensued rendered the 3,300-square-foot retail sales floor untenable for human life.

Executives with the Stateline Fireworks business have told state officials they hope to reopen next March.

Parisi and Tollett said the discharged shell could have struck a passing driver on Route 10.

Apartment Building, Residential

Manchester, NH – Sprinkler system assists firefighters in extinguishing dryer fire at apartment complex

October 30, 2018 viking210

A dryer fire forced evacuation of several units at 471 Silver St. on Sunday. The fire was reported at about 2:47 p.m. , and companies arrived to find smoke showing from a four-story mill multi-unit apartment building. The source of the fire was the first-floor laundry room. Firefighters discovered a fire in a commercial stacked dryer, which activated the sprinkler system. Firefighters finished extinguishing the fire and removed the affected equipment from the building. Companies remained on scene to clear smoke that had traveled throughout the first- and second-floor common areas. Cause of the fire is under investigation, but possibly caused by a clogged exhaust pipe. Damages are estimated at about $5,000.

Public Library

Hopkinton, NH – Sprinkler system assists fire crews in extinguishing fire at town library

August 8, 2018 viking210

Karen Dixon was sitting at the front desk of the Hopkinton Town Library about 4:30 p.m. when a lightning strike shook the building. A few uneventful minutes went by before Dixon heard something in the cupola above.

“I looked up and there was fire in the acoustical tile ceiling,” she said. Dixon, two other employees and a volunteer pulled the fire alarm, called 911 and got out of the building as the flames spread. Firefighters arrived to find the cupola ablaze and the building filling with smoke, Hopkinton fire Chief Jeff Yale said. Once the flames were doused, an inch and a half of water puddled on the floor, and the ceiling of the cupola had collapsed onto the desk where Dixon had been sitting.

“I am shocked. That’s my desk,” Dixon said. “That’s where I greet people every day. That’s my life.” Yale said fire crews were trying to preserve as many books and possessions inside the library as possible and close up the holes in the roof. “As we clean up the mess inside, we want to make sure with the storms coming through tonight, we don’t want to continue to add to that,” Yale said.

The library will be closed through the weekend as the extent of fire, water and smoke damage to the building and its contents are evaluated. Townspeople quickly rallied around the library; select board members, friends of the library and library trustees were all at the scene Friday evening, surveying the damage and, later, calling in pizzas from Dimitri’s Pizza while first responders and a clean-up crew sucked water from the building.

“The library is definitely the center of the community,” said Hopkinton select board chairman Jim O’Brien by phone. “We’re already hearing from people asking how they can help.”

“We’re just sort of in shock,” said Amy O’Brien, Friends of the Hopkinton Town Library president.

The damage was pervasive, Jim O’Brien said – many of the library’s collections were damaged by smoke and water as crews put the blaze out. Yale said the sprinkler system did its job, but it flowed water until the fire department shut it down after the fire was fully extinguished.

O’Brien said an assessment of the building and its contents, as well as whether any programming could continue at the library, would be done over the next few days, and that a solution would be discussed at the select board meeting on Monday.

Though the damage was bad, O’Brien said he was sure the town would continue to support its library. “Knowing the people of Hopkinton, I’m sure they’ll try to get it back on their feet,” he said.

O’Brien said he was grateful to mutual aid responders for responding quickly to the fire. Emergency personnel from Boscawen, Concord, Hillsborough, Henniker, Warner, Bow and the Capital Area Compact Chief responded to the scene, according to the Hopkinton fire Facebook page.

Last month, a similar storm caused a trio of fires from lightning strikes in Concord, Bow and Hooksett. Fire destroyed the steeple of the Crossroads Community Church in Bow on July 17.

Government/Military, Prison / Jail