Stephen Harris Photos
Firefighters rescued two women early Saturday morning as flames gutted the three-story house where they rented apartments.
The fire started around 5 a.m. at 35 Pendleton St. at the corner of Maple in the Edgewood neighborhood.
Firefighters rushed over to find “the whole front of the house burning,” said Fire Chief Michael Grant. “It was extending up the internal stairwell. It was cutting off the means of egress for the persons on the second and third floor.”
One woman stood trapped at a second-floor window. Another woman stood trapped on the rear third-floor porch.
Firefighters raised their ladders, climbed up and brought the women down to safety.
Three first-floor tenants got out on their own.
The fire appears to have been accidental. Firefighters encountered “nothing to cause us to believe it was suspicious in nature” Grant said.
The fire destroyed the house. It also scorched nearby trees.
The five displaced tenants are all staying with family members or friends, according to Eli Greer, one of the owners of the house.
“The most important thing is that [human] lives were not lost,” Greer said. “The fire department did a superlative job.”
Three pets were left behind, according to Greer: two dogs living on the first floor, a cat on the second. Saturday evening he said the second-floor cat had been found.
What--a fire and people rescued. I am surprised it was put it, with all those lazy firemen sleeping in beds and doing nothing else for their pay (sarcasm of course to all the nay sayers).
Great job NHFD--you earn what you make, and you made a difference in another 5 people's lives while putting your lives on the line.