By Chris Frost
EAGLE TIMES NEW EDITOR
CLAREMONT, N.H. — The Claremont Fire Department battled a large fire at a former mill building used for storage in an old industrial site on 247 Sullivan St. on Saturday, Aug. 5.
The fire was first called in at 6:16 p.m. The incident caused no injuries.
The fire escalated, prompting a first-alarm response, eventually growing into a three-alarm fire. The blaze necessitated the mutual aid of more than 20 area fire departments from as far away as Hanover.
Upon arrival, the building was found to be heavily involved in fire on the left side of the structure. The department then established a Fire Command.
Claremont Fire Chief Jim Chamberlain said the blaze was the largest since the Joy Fires in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
“We have established run cards depending on where we’re working in the city,” he said. “What that gives us is a pre-plan for who we’re calling in for an event.”
He said the fire was in the hydrant district because it uses municipal water.
“We pull that run card, and each alarm determines what department will be responding,” he said.
At one time, Chamberlain said five engines pumped water from the river to satisfy water needs, which requires plenty of equipment and manpower.
“Usually, you have one or two engines drafting from a static water source, and we essentially had five engines drafting from the river,” he said.
The department follows a protocol — life safety, stabilization, and property conservation. He said since it was confirmed the building was unoccupied, the firefighters were able to concentrate on containing the blaze.
“We transitioned to incident stabilization and positioning apparatus, and what is the best course for our water streams,” he said. “I saw the amount of fire and said this part of the building; we’re not going to be able to save it, but let’s try to save the front of the building, which wasn’t affected, which was my focus. Let’s prevent the fire from moving forward into that usable space.”
He said the department had no access to the building’s back because of the river on the left and heavy vegetation on the right.
“Those mill-style brick buildings are sturdy and take a lot to collapse,” he said about creating a safety zone for firefighters. “I wasn’t too worried about structural collapse. We were worrying about where we could put our master streams to get the most effect for fire extinguishment.”
The department cleared its suppression operation around 10 p.m.; at 1:43 a.m., the fire was officially declared under control.
Fire personnel remained at the scene throughout the night, conducting overhauls and extinguishing hot spots.
“In the coming weeks, I’ll sit down with each shift and go over what we did and what worked well,” he said. “We were taking more calls that same night, and once we were under control, I was able to free up some equipment.”
The fire’s cause remains under investigation. Claremont Fire officials are working with the New Hampshire Fire Marshal’s Office and local law enforcement to determine the incident’s origin and circumstances.
Chamberlain was grateful for all the support and cooperation the department received from neighboring departments.
“As well as the generous food and beverage donations from several community businesses,” Chamberlain added.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.