At 2054 hours on Thursday, January 30, 2003 the Manchester Fire Department began receiving numerous calls reporting a building fire 65 Malvern Street.
The initial call was placed by an occupant of the building, who stated that she was trapped on Floor #1 and her husband was also trapped on Floor #2. Dispatchers maintained telephone contact with this caller in an effort to gather additional information regarding her specific location in the building.
Malvern Street is in the Janesville section of the City, which is one of the City's oldest neighborhoods. It is a densely populated area with large wood frame occupied and vacant multiple dwellings. The buildings all sit on small plots of land tightly nestled together on narrow city streets with many overhead wires and obstructions.
All of the Downtown companies, as well as several of the outlying companies were already committed to ongoing incidents. Engines 11, 1, and 5, Trucks 1 and 5, and Car 1 were operating at a Box Alarm at 1000 Elm Street. Shortly after companies arrived at 1000 Elm Street Engine Co. 1 was redirected to handle a request for medical aid on Laurel Street. Meanwhile, Rescue Co. 1 was committed at a carbon monoxide investigation in the southern tip of the City, near the Londonderry border.
The Fire Alarm Office immediately notified companies operating at 1000 Elm Street of the reported building fire. Engine 11 and Truck 1 put themselves in service for the pending Box Alarm. Box 315 was transmitted, sending Engines 10, 11, and 5, Trucks 3 and 5, and Car 1 to the fire. As companies were responding Fire Alarm advised Car 1 that they were still taking multiple calls for a confirmed fire with entrapment. At 2057 hours Car 1 (District Chief Tom Clayton) replied that he had heavy loom-up visible and transmitted the Second Alarm prior to arrival. At 2058 Chief Clayton arrived on scene and established Command. Second Alarm companies consisted of Engines 6 and 1 (Engine 1 cleared the medical), Truck 5, and Rescue 1 (which was specifically ordered to clear the CO investigation).
Before Fire Alarm could dispatch the Second Alarm companies Engine 11 and Truck 1 arrived at the fire. The first-due companies were immediately confronted by a chaotic scene. The fire building was a two-story wood frame occupied multiple dwelling, containing a total four apartments. The front portion building was approximately 50 feet long by 25 feet deep with a farmer's porch running the entire length of Side A of the building. In the rear, the building had an attached barn area (also converted to apartments) which was approximately 40 feet wide by 75 feet deep, making the overall building size approximately 50 feet by 100 feet.
Upon arrival heavy fire consumed the majority of Floor #1 of the front portion of the building, with fire issuing onto the porch and across the sidewalk into the street. Lt. Scott Merrill and FF Andy Biron of Engine Co. 11 deployed a 1 3/4 inch hand line and commenced an aggressive attack from Side A. FF Mark Battey was their motor pump operator. The crew initially attempted an exterior knock down of the farmers' porch, however this proved ineffective as fire conditions remained unchanged. The decision was quickly made to change tactics, and the line was advanced the A-B Corner, where heavy fire in the front room was knocked down through the window in an attempt to make an interior attack possible. While Lt. Merrill donned his SCBA mask, FF Biron vented the Floor 1 windows on Side B and advanced the line inside through the Side B door. FF Biron then began knocking down the fire on Floor #1, working his way toward Side A. As he was joined by Lt. Merrill, they could hear a woman screaming for help somewhere inside the building. FF Biron continued to attack the fire, and was successful in holding its extension while Lt. Merrill commenced a primary search, working toward Side C.
Lt. Merrill quickly located the woman in a rear bedroom of what turned out to be her neighbor's apartment, however he became slightly disoriented while attempting to remove the conscious victim. He began calling for FF Biron, who worked his way back to Lt. Merrill's location after knocking down the bulk of the fire and abandoning the hand line in order to effect the rescue.
Both members hurriedly removed the woman from the building before fire conditions intensified. During the rescue, the woman advised that her husband was trapped on Floor 2 in the front apartment. She was removed from the building and passed to District Chief Clayton and members of the Manchester Police Department to be delivered to an incoming ALS unit. The woman was in critical condition with serious burns and respiratory compromise. She was transported to the nearby Elliot Hospital at 2112 hours, and was subsequently transferred to Boston for more advanced treatment. Engine Co. 11 then reentered the building to attempt to make Floor 2.
Chief Clayton struck the Third Alarm at 2104 hours and Engines 7 and 4, Truck 6, and Air 1 were dispatched. Engine 9 was also Special Called as FAST at 2106 hours.
While the rescue was unfolding, members of Truck Co. 1 had set up their Bronto-Skylift and gone to the roof to perform vertical ventilation. Engine Co. 10 arrived second-due and took the rear, advancing a line to Floor 2 through Side D. Engine Co. 1 arrived shortly thereafter and advanced a backup line to Engine 11's position. Capt. Mark Pellitier with FF Max Chaisson then left their line and made an attempt to gain second floor access from Side B. They were unsuccessful in locating the victim as the building was separated into a different apartment from their access point.
Engine Co. 5 also arrived and Lt. John O'Neil ordered a hand line advanced from their engine to Side A, and an attack again commenced on the porch and front rooms of Floor 1. They then advanced to Engine Co. 11's location and both companies worked in unison to make Floor 2. Engine 5's motor pump operator also assisted Engine 11 in establishing a solid water supply.
As the fire was being knocked down, members of Rescue Co. 1 and Engine Co. 6 proceeded to Floor 2, and quickly located the male victim using their thermal imaging cameras. They worked together to remove the unconscious man from the building via the Side B door. He was immediately transferred to ALS personnel who began resuscitation efforts and transported the man at 2127 hours. Unfortunately, the man was in cardiac arrest upon his removal from the building, and was pronounced dead at Elliot Hospital.
Following the second rescue, the main body of fire had been successfully knocked down and extensive overhaul and ventilation work commenced. All appeared to be going well, and companies were in the process of picking up and going in service. The under control was issued at 2153 hours and Engine Co. 9, the FAST company, was released at 2202 hours.
Firefighters continued overhaul operations until suddenly, at 2205 hours, a partial building collapse occurred trapping several members. Lt. Paul Smith of Rescue Co. 1 issued an urgent MAYDAY call and Assistant Chief of Department Francis Monnelly immediately ordered two additional ALS units to the scene. Chief of Department Joseph Kane gave a follow-up report to Fire Alarm that the front porch had fallen off the structure while firefighters were located on the porch. He continued that the roof had collapsed onto them, and that companies were working to free three firefighters who were pinned. Members rushed to assist the Brothers, physically lifting the twelve foot wide by forty foot long section of roof from their bodies in a matter of seconds. It was quickly determined that three members were injured, one appeared to be more serious than the others. Manchester firefighters, Rockingham Regional Ambulance personnel, and Manchester police officers all worked together feverishly to stabilize and extricate the three men.
FF Max Chaisson and FF Steve Goupil were quickly back boarded and removed from the collapse area. FF Chaisson had actually been knocked off of the porch by the falling roof, and landed on the sidewalk with the roof over him in a lean to collapse. He was slightly disoriented and appeared to have only minor injuries. FF Goupil had been working on the porch deck and was pinned by the roof. He suffered knee and ankle injuries. Both of these members were quickly transported to Elliot Hospital at 2227 hours, and later released.
Most seriously injured was Probationary FF Charlie Hatfield. He had been preparing to enter the building from the porch when the roof collapsed, also trapping him. He suffered a severe fracture to the right femur, and crews worked for over thirty minutes to stabilize and extricate him.At 2240 hours FF Hatfield was also transported to Elliot Hospital. It was determined that his femur was fractured just below the hip as well as just above the knee. The center section of bone was also broken lengthwise. He underwent emergency orthopedic surgery at about 0130 hours, and is currently recovering at Elliot Hospital. Early estimates are that FF Hatfield will be out of work for at least six months to twelve months.
Companies remained on the scene for several hours, and Engine Co. 3 was Special Called as the Fire Detail at 2347 hours. All crews were clear of the scene at 0150 hours. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Manchester Fire Department's Fire Prevention Bureau and the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office.
