Manchester Firefighters Battle Fire That Burns Apartment Building

MANCHESTER, NH — Manchester Fire responded to 361 Heavy St. for a reported building fire on Sunday.

Firefighters arrived to find a fire on the third floor. They immediately stretched hose lines to a third-floor porch of the multi-unit building where heavy smoke and fire was visible. The fire quickly spread into the walls, ceiling, and roof of the building.

A second alarm was requested bringing additional personnel and apparatus to the scene and mutual aid from surrounding cities and towns for station coverage.

AMR transported a resident to the hospital with unknown injuries. A firefighter who was being evaluated by AMR medics was walked to an ambulance for further medical evaluation.

The status of the fire was upgraded and brought all off-duty firefighters back to the city to assist at the fire. More than 100 firefighters battled the stubborn fire for several hours while also protecting adjacent structures.

Thousands of gallons of water were streamed from ladder trucks and from the ground in an attempt to suppress the flames. At times, smoke filled the neighborhood making it almost impossible to see.

Large crowds of people gathered behind police tape and smoke billowing from the roof could be seen for miles away.

Some of the occupants from the 3-Story building gathered and watched water pouring out of windows and the front door while firefighters continued to stream water.

Eversource, Liberty Utilities, and Manchester Water Works were all requested to the scene.

The fire is under investigation by the Manchester Fire Marshals Office, and at this time the cause and origin of the fire have not been released.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news