Berlin House Destroyed By Fire Classified As Suspicious

BERLIN, NH — Berlin police, the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office and Coos County Sheriff’s Office investigated a fire on Berlin Street on Monday.

As a result of the investigation, one man was arrested on an arson charge.

Berlin Fire and Rescue teams were alerted to a building fire at 1545 Main St. at 3:41 a.m. Firefighters on duty reported seeing the glow from the fire shortly after leaving the station. When they arrived, they reported heavy fire throughout the building.

Berlin Fire Lt. Lefebvre called for a general alarm to bring off-duty firefighters to the scene. Firefighters faced issues with icing in their SCBA's and other equipment.

One firefighter was taken to the hospital after experiencing shortness of breath. Berlin firefighters cleared the scene at 8:17 a.m. In a press release, the building was deemed a total loss. A neighboring house suffered heat damage from the fire.

Fire investigators determined the blaze that burned down the house was suspicious. Messiah McMaster, 37, of Berlin was arrested Friday as part of the investigation into the fire, according to the Berlin Police Department.

McMaster is accused of felony arson and is being held on preventative detention in the Coos County jail for arraignment Monday in Coos County Superior Court.