One person is dead and eight others were injured—one critically—after a fast-moving fire tore through an apartment building in New Hampshire early on New Year’s Day.
The blaze broke out shortly after midnight at the four-story Executive Manor Apartments in Manchester and spread rapidly, according to local reports. As smoke and flames filled the building, some residents became trapped and were forced to jump from balconies to escape the heat and thick smoke.
“They were jumping from the balconies. The fire started on the third floor, so that’s where we’re focusing our investigation,” New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey said. “We’ve completed interviews with all the occupants and believe the fire began on the third floor, blocking access to the hallways and preventing people from exiting safely.”
Emergency crews transported eight people to area hospitals, including one individual listed in critical condition. The victim who died has not yet been identified.
Firefighters used ladders and bucket trucks to rescue residents from the building. Among those saved was a child trapped in a fourth-floor bedroom.
Roughly 40 people live in the apartment complex, and officials said 10 families have been displaced. The Red Cross responded to the scene to provide immediate assistance, including food and temporary support.
“We’re focused right now on comfort care—making sure people have what they need while we wait for the fire marshal and investigators to determine the cause,” said Red Cross official Allyson Stanczyk.
The fire was brought under control around 1:50 a.m. An investigation into what sparked the blaze is ongoing.
