MANCHESTER, NH – A fire that started on a second-floor porch on Liberty Street late Friday night posed a challenge for firefighters who endured sub-zero temperatures that caused some equipment to freeze. Two firefighters were injured – one suffered frostbite and another fell on the icy roadway.
Crews were dispatched to 26 Liberty St. at 10:44 pm. Friday for the fire, which extended from the porch into the three-family house and up to the third floor.
The first and second floors sustained smoke and water damage and the third floor sustained heavy fire damage.
According to Battalion Chief Robert Beaudet this fire was caused by careless disposal of smoking materials and is classified as accidental. An MTA bus was brought to the scene as a mobile warming station for occupants and on-scene personnel as needed.
Beaudet said the extreme cold temperatures and wind at the time of the fire – minus-14 degrees and minus-35 wind-chill – resulted in frozen hydrants and other fire apparatus malfunctions due to frozen equipment. There was also damage to large-diameter supply lines, the result of numerous automobiles driving over them.
Six occupants were displaced by this fire and have been connected with the Red Cross.
The property owner is listed as Michael P. Craig and the assessed value of the property is $364,500. Beaudet estimated the loss to be $125,000.