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Crews from Merrimack, surrounding towns stop flames in century-old DW Highway building

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Reporter | Nov 24, 2020

Photo by Jeffrey Hastings Firefighters got the upper hand on a fast-moving fire at 482 Daniel Webster Highway in Merrimack Monday morning, confining most of the damage to the ell to the large building estimated to be 120 years old.

MERRIMACK – Local firefighters with the assistance of crews from Nashua and other neighboring towns succeeded in stopping a fast-moving fire from getting into the main part of a large Daniel Webster Highway residence Monday morning.

Crews were called out about 9:30 a.m. to the area of DW Highway and Church Street, which is just north of the Merrimack Public Library, upon receiving reports of an explosion and structure fire, according to Fire Marshal John Manuele.

While en route to the scene, fire crews as well as police officers reported a “large plume of black smoke” visible, prompting the issuance of a working fire assignment, which brought to the scene additional Merrimack crews and units from Nashua and Manchester, Manuele said.

Crews arrived to find heavy fire coming from the rear of 482 Daniel Webster Highway, and upon investigating found a fabric shelter and its contents ablaze, as well as flames “burning from bottom to top” in the rear of the building, Manuele said.

Crews were able to knock down the bulk of the fire, which appeared have started outside the rear of the building and began making its way up and into the main section.

Photo by MERRIMACK FIRE RESCUE Smoke pours from what's left of the fabric shed destroyed in Monday morning's fire in Merrimack, as a firefighter heads in with a tool.

One of the first-arriving crews conducted a search of the building while others attacked the fire from the exterior as well as from inside, where it was spreading to the attic, Manuele added.

Reports that a dog was inside prompted crews to look for it, but it was soon discovered that a neighbor had rescued the dog before crews arrived at the scene.

Manuele said the bulk of the fire was extinguished by 9:45 a.m., less than 15 minutes from the time of dispatch.

Firefighters remained on the scene to extinguish small pockets of fire in the attic and in the eaves.

The fire was declared under control at 10:23, but overhaul and salvage operations continued for awhile afterward.

Photo by Jeffrey Hastings Firefighters work on the roof of an ell to check for hot spots after crews brought under control a fast-moving fire Monday morning at 482 Daniel Webster Highway in Merrimack. The bulk of the damage was confined to the area at left.

Mutual aid crews included an engine and ladder from Nashua, along with an AMR ambulance at the scene, while a Manchester engine covered Merrimack’s main station.

Medical personnel treated a civilian believed to have had some smoke exposure, but no other injuries were reported.

Manuele said the fire, which was caused by an accidental electrical failure, destroyed the fabric shed and its contents, while the attic and rear wall sustained significant damage.

He said it was determined that the occupants were able to inhabit the house, which sustained less serious damage.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

Photo by Jeffrey Hastings Steam mixes with the smoke billowing from a section of a large home at 482 Daniel Webster Highway in Merrimack Monday morning, as crews attack flames that threatened the main portion of the roughly 120-year-old home.

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