3 Laconia apartments destroyed by fire

LACONIA — A three-alarm fire at the Wingate Village apartments on Blueberry Lane late Wednesday morning heavily damaged three apartments and caused about $150,000 in damage, according to Laconia Fire Chief Ken Erickson.

He said that the fire, which was reported at 11:09 a.m., left three units uninhabitable and displaced five adults and six children, who were later assisted by the American Red Cross in obtaining shelter, food and clothing. No one was injured in the fire.

He said that the fire started on the exterior of the building, a six-unit multi-family two-story wood frame structure, near apartment 35 and spread up an exterior wall to the attic space of apartments 34, 35 and 36.

''Crews hit the heavy fire from the outside and knocked down the fire in the attic of of 34, then advanced the hose lines into 34, 35 and 36 to extinguish the fire,'' said Erickson, who added that at one point the fire exploded through a hole cut by firefighters in the roof of unit 36.

He said that despite the rapidly spreading fire and high outside temperatures, which were close to 90 degrees, no one was injured.

''Firefighters did a good job in tough conditions,'' said Erickson, who estimated the value of property saved at $200,000.

No cause of the fire was available as of press time.

Crews from several area fire departments responded to the scene, including Gilford, Belmont, Meredith, Tilton, Sanbornton, Gilmanton and Concord.

Among the first to spot the fire was Kristen Jackman, 26, of Rumney, who was swimming in a pool across the street and saw the smoke. She immediately ran across the street and knocked on the doors of apartments 37 and 38 and helped the occupants get out of the building before firefighters arrived.

''She's our hero,'' said Jane Hanson, a resident of apartment 37, a sentiment echoed by James Rathbun of apartment 38. Both watched in their wheelchairs in the shade of a tree near as firefighters battled the fire.

Hanson said that she and her husband, Frank, were at home and their grandchildren were outside playing when the fire broke out.

''The kids yelled to us about the fire and this lady helped us out,'' said Hanson, who was grateful that her Jack Russell Terrier, "Sadie", was also able to escape from the fire.

''The vinyl siding went up in a flash,'' said Frank Hanson, who yelled ''Wow! Look at that'' as flames broke through the roof of unit 36.

Jackman said that she was grateful for the praise being showered on her but that her response didn't make her a hero. ''I just did what anyone else would have done in the same situation. I'm just happy that no one was hurt.''

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firesave

Kristen Jackman, rear, of Rumney is shown with James Rathbun, watching the fire at Wingate Village and Jane and Frank Hanson, whom she alerted to the fire and helped flee the burning building Wednesday morning. (Roger Amsden photo for the Laconia Daily Sun)