Brush Fire Quickly Spreads In Gusty Winds

Manchester, NH - Manchester Fire responded to a report of a small outside fire behind an empty commercial building at 2445 Brown Ave Monday.

While en route firefighters were advised that the wind was quickly spreading the fire up a hill towards Goffs Falls Road, and additional personnel were added to the initial dispatch.

Engine 3 arrived on Goffs Falls Road and had zero visible due to smoke which the winds were blowing. Residents in the area grabbed garden hoses and began hosing down their houses, and landscaping as the fire intensified.

Crews worked to get water on the fire at the bottom of the hill while other crews worked to protect a large apartment building being threatened by the fire.

Fire came within feet of the apartment building, and residents evacuated and moved vehicles away from the growing fire.

Firefighters also concentrated on putting water in an area burning over a high-pressure underground gas line that runs through the wooded area from Brown Ave to Goffs Falls Road.

Several trees were burning and had fire traveling up the outside of the trees. One tree which was decayed had fire shooting out from inside the top of the tree. Firefighters used chainsaws to cut down the burning trees so that the fire could be fully extinguished.

Goffs Falls Road was closed for about two hours as crews fought the fire and had water supply hoses running across the road.

After about 1.5 hours the fire was fully extinguished. Initial indications at the scene is that it started in an area adjacent to the parking lot of the closed commercial business.

No firefighters or civilians were injured, and the fire will be investigated by the Manchester Fire Marshal’s Office.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news