2-Alarm South End Fire Torches Concord Apartment Building

CONCORD, NH — Concord fire and rescue teams as well as firefighters from capital region communities are battling an apartment building fire in the South End on Thursday.

Firefighters were sent to South Street not far from Concord Street for a report of a fire. Dispatch was alerted to the fire at just past 6 p.m. The fire quickly went to two alarms. Later in the evening, a third alarm was struck, according to reports on Twitter, something that was not confirmed.

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Most of the fire appeared to be coming from the second floor, with flames seen shooting from windows on both the west and east side of the building. A firefighter used a chainsaw to cut open a side of the building to get water to the flames on the second floor and attic.

Firefighters from Boscawen, Chichester, Hooksett, Hopkinton, Loudon, and Pembroke were sent to cover Concord stations and offer mutual aid.

Concord police blocked off sections of the neighborhood and attempted to control crowds who were on sidewalks watching the fire.

Update: Two people were injured during an apartment building fire in Concord's South End on Thursday.

Concord fire and rescue teams were sent to South Street for a report of a fire at just after 6 p.m. Firefighters from the Broadway station, according to Sean Brown, the city's fire chief, arrived at the fire within three minutes. They found heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the building which has three apartments.

Two occupants were found inside the building and taken to Concord Hospital with serious injuries.

"Concord companies initiated an interior fire attack and conducted search operations throughout the building," Brown said. "The buildings in this neighborhood are very close to each other. The aggressive firefighting actions taken by the first arriving Concord companies prevented any of the adjacent structures from being threatened by fire extension."

The fire was brought under control at just after 8 p.m.

Eight residents were displaced by the fire, Brown said.

Firefighters from Boscawen, Chichester, Hooksett, Hopkinton, Loudon, and Pembroke all assisted, he added, while station coverage was provided by Epsom, Franklin, Hopkinton, Manchester firefighters, and the Penacook Ambulance.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was at the fire scene, too. Brown said Friday the federal bureau is often at fires, along with the state fire marshal and others, to assist and gather data during investigations.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Concord Fire Department and Concord Police Department.

Reports on Twitter stated the fire went to a third alarm at some point. Concord NH Patch has been unable to confirm that at post time.

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