Crime & Safety

Fire Damages New Movie Theater

The roof was damaged and there was slight water damage to the theaters below.

Firefighters responded to a fire Friday morning on the roof of the new Cinemagic movie theater on Route 1.

The fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. in a rooftop HVAC unit, according to emergency radio broadcasts. The fire was knocked down within minutes and declared under control by 8 a.m.

According to the Portsmouth Fire Department, there was heavy fire upon arrival. Firefighters accessed the roof using the interior stairs and a ladder truck, and knocked down the fire using portable extinguishers.

The rooftop HVAC unit was a total loss, and the roof membrane and structure were also damaged. There was slight water damage to the theaters below.

The fire is believed to have started when the heavy snow load damaged natural gas piping to the HVAC unit and the gas leak then ignited.

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