Sprinklers Help Stop Exeter Vehicle Fire From Spreading Into Building

EXETER, NH — Sprinklers helped keep an overnight vehicle fire from spreading into a four-story multi-family building, the Exeter Fire Department said.

Crews first responded to the fire on Wiley Creek Road at 2:56 a.m. Sunday, where officials say they found a vehicle on fire in the parking garage under a building.

Sprinklers activated and kept the fire at bay before fire crews were able to extinguish the burning vehicle, according to the department.

The Exeter Fire Department said residents were allowed to return to their units after about an hour. However, fire crews remained on the scene until 6 a.m. to remove smoke and the smell of gasoline from the garage, stairways and hallways.

No one was hurt and the cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to officials.

"The incident is a good reminder about the effectiveness of a working sprinkler system," Fire Chief Eric Wilking said.