MILFORD, N.H. --
One person was killed in an early-morning fire in Milford on Friday.
Firefighters said flames broke out at about 1 a.m. in the second-floor bedroom of a home at 48 Dearborn St. Two Milford police officers were first at the scene, and they pulled a female victim from the second floor, but she succumbed to her injuries.
Neighbor Janine Kumpu said that she woke up to the smell of smoke coming from the fire next door.
"I came outside, and you could see flames weren't coming through the window at the time, but you could definitely see the glow and smoke was pouring out of the house," she said.
Kumpu's husband called 911. Fire Chief Frank Fraitzl said that the police officers were able to go inside before the fire became too intense.
"They made a quick entry and a rescue, and then the conditions deteriorated to the point they actually went back in a second time, but were chased out by the fire," Fraitzl said.
Firefighters arrived soon after.
"We found heavy fire conditions on the second floor extending into the attic," Fraitzl said. "Firefighters entered the building, knocked the fire down, conducted secondary searches of the entire building and determined no one else was in the building."
It took about 30 firefighters about a half-hour to get the fire under control. Fraitzl said the house sustained significant damage.
"Extensive fire damage on the second floor, extending into the attic, smoke and water damage to the first floor," he said.
No firefighters were injured, but one of the police officers who pulled out the victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. The officers' names have not been released, but officials praised their actions.
"They did a very excellent job to go into a building filled with smoke," Deputy Fire Marshal John Raymond said. "They tried to search and did an attempted rescue."
Investigators said that the fire did not appear to be suspicious.
