By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
CLAREMONT, N.H. — The Claremont Fire Department acted quickly and efficiently in knocking down a fire on the fourth floor of Marion Phillips Apartments on Wednesday night, holding the fire to one room and stopping it from spreading throughout the rest of the building where primarily elderly residents reside.
“That is a pretty high hazard, high target building given the amount of people who live there,” said Chief Jim Chamberlain. “The fire personnel, first responding companies did a great job identifying the apartment of origin and keeping it to where it was, while also keeping everyone safe and away from the fire. Hats off to them.”
The department responded to a radio box 0325 at 5:57 p.m., and Claremont Fire dispatched also received a 911 call. Ladder 2, Engine 3 and C-1 responded to the 243 Broad Street and found apartment 405 was on fire, and that the sprinkler system was activated. The crews put out the fire with an Air Pressurized Water (APW) extinguisher, and went on to “conduct ventilation efforts” to clear the area.
“Marion Phillips is one of our larger, multi-family dwellings in the city,” Chamberlain said. “So there are a lot of folks who were sort of congregating on the first floor. The fire was in a fourth floor apartment and the crews made access, identified a bedroom fire held in check with the sprinkler system, and fully extinguished the fire.”
One occupant sustained burns and was taken to Valley Regional Hospital by Golden Cross Ambulance, but Chamberlain said the injuries were non-life threatening.
“Best practice with any injury, especially burns, because there is the risk of infection,” Chamberlain said. “We really encourage anyone to go get checked out.”
Chamberlain said there were several apartments that had water damage from the sprinklers, but added that the system activation was vital in keeping the fire contained.
“This should not diminish the importance of the sprinkler’s role in controlling the fire and holding it to the room of origin,” Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain said when it comes to fires in these types of buildings, the best-case scenario is to have a fire on a high floor because it is already going up and out.
“A lot of the folks are elderly, so we were fortunate to be able to keep them on the first floor which was a safe distance away and keep them under cover,” Chamberlain said. “The folks at Marion Phillips were able to find arrangements for those tenants that were impacted.”
Chamberlain said the fire is under investigation but does not seem suspicious, and they are in the process of conducting interviews. Community Risk Reduction Specialist Rebecca Cowser of the state Fire Marshal’s office said she did not any have further information.
According to the Claremont Housing Authority website, The Marion L. Phillips Apartments has been “providing affordable housing for almost 50 years and has consistently been designated a High Performer by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).” There are 96 apartments designed to provide a “warm, safe and affordable environment” for the elderly and adults with disabilities.
A message was left with Marion Phillips Apartment Director Michelle Aiken, as well as with the reception extension, but not returned by deadline.
