Fire, Propane Leak Sparked NH Hotel Blast that Hurt FFs
By Josie Albertson-Grove
Source The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
LEBANON, NH—An electrical fire sparked the explosion at the Element Hotel on Christmas Eve, a preliminary investigation by the state fire marshal has found.
Around 5:15 a.m. Tuesday, the Lebanon Fire Department responded to an alarm at the hotel at 25 Foot Hill St. Just after firefighters entered the building, there was an explosion. Two firefighters were hurt and taken to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Their injuries were not life-threatening, and the firefighters were released from the hospital later on Tuesday.
Eight hotel guests were also treated at Dartmoth-Hitchcock, said Lebanon Fire Chief Chris Christopoulos, and all have been released from the hospital.
The propane leak and the electrical fire do not appear to have been related, Christopolous said.
He said several systems at the hotel ran on propane, including boilers, kitchen equipment, a pool heater and an outdoor fireplace.
The state fire marshal's office began investigating the fire on Thursday.
State Fire Marshal Paul J. Parisi said in a news release that there had been an electrical fire in a mechanical room on the first floor of the hotel. At the same time, he said in the release, there was a small propane leak from a pipe in the next room, which caused the explosion.
The cause of the explosion does not appear to be criminal in nature, the news release stated.
Christopoulos said the propane leak and the fire happened separately.
The Element Hotel will remain closed for the foreseeable future because the explosion significantly damaged the structure, the news release stated. Approximately 80 guests had been staying at the Element Hotel, and had to be moved to other local hotels.
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