Story by ANDY BIRON
Photos by JAY HEATH
Leather Helmet Society

At 2317 hours on October 5, 2002, the Manchester, NH Fire Department struck Box 325 for a building fire located at 4 Dutton Street.

Engines Eleven, One, and Ten, Trucks One and Three, Rescue One, and Car One were dispatched on the first alarm assignment.

Car One, District Chief James Burkush arrived with the first-due companies to find two buildings heavily involved.

The second alarm was immediately struck, bringing Engines Seven, and Six, Truck Five to the fire.

Engine Five was called to work as the F.A.S.T. Company.

Engine Ten was first to arrive and immediately went in to defensive operations and placed a deck gun in to use.

The next arriving companies dropped big lines and began protecting near by exposure buildings.

As an exterior attack was on going, Chief Burkush ordered the Third and Fourth Alarms to be struck, bringing in Engines Nine, Four, and Three, Trucks Seven and Two, Air 1, along with the Third Alarm personnel call back.

Engine Two was called in as the F.A.S.T Company to replace Engine Five.

Chief Burkush gave a follow-up report of two building fully involved, five other exposure buildings damaged, companies making good progress.

The main body of fire was quickly knocked down, however crews continued to work through out the night to extinguish the fire in the original fire buildings.

No injuries were reported, and the origin of the fire is suspicious.