Jeffrey Hastings
- Nov 10, 2023

Possible Arson Being Investigated After Firefighters Respond To Vehicle Fire

MANCHESTER, NH - Manchester Fire Engine 2 was dispatched to an Ahern Street parking lot for a reported vehicle fire Friday at 9:10 a.m. When firefighters arrived they found a vehicle with a broken front passenger window and a vehicle with the interior that had burned.

The fire was extinguished before firefighters arrived, and police were summoned to the scene based on a description of what occurred. Two Manchester Fire Investigators and the new K9 specializing in accelerant detection.

Police officers interviewed witnessed and coordinated obtaining video from several surveillance cameras in the area of the parking lot where the vehicle was located.

The front driver’s side and passenger’s side had a significant amount of fire damage including headrests that were melted.

Fire investigators had the K9 work the entire vehicle, the dog is trained to sit when an accelerant scene is located. The dog sat several times in different parts of the vehicle which indicated areas where evidence samples would be gathered.

Investigators cut samples from the fabric of the vehicle and placed them in evidence cans which will be sent to the State of New Hampshire Crime Lab for processing.

Information gathered at the scene indicated this was possibly related to a disagreement of some sort. Police are following up on several leads including a possible ID on a person involved.

After all evidence was processed the vehicle was towed from the scene. Police and fire cleared the scene at about 11:20 a.m.

No other information is available at this time, if additional information becomes available we will publish updates.