Family of 5 uninjured in Laconia house fire early Wednesday

LACONIA — Smoke detectors alerted occupants of a Mechanic Street residence to a fire in their house just before 3 a.m. Wednesday, and the family of five and a cat were able to safely evacuate by the time firefighters arrived minutes later and observed heavy fire coming from the third floor.

There were no reported firefighter or civilian injuries.

According to a press release from Laconia Fire Department Chief Tim Joubert, the firefighting team faced challenging conditions as they reached the third floor, encountering aggressive flames and holes in the floor that made it difficult to advance. Despite these obstacles, they contained a large volume of fire. Additional companies assisted by applying water through third-floor windows, effectively extinguishing most of the remaining fire.

Firefighter Ben Dussault noted the exhaustive efforts of all companies on the scene. "Due to the large size of the structure and the amount of fire and overhaul, all companies on scene exhausted their air supply, resulting in [self-contained breathing apparatus] air cylinders needing to be filled back at the station."

The home's occupants were alerted by interconnected smoke detectors, allowing them to exit the building before conditions worsened. Capt. Chris Shipp emphasized the importance of smoke detectors. "Smoke detectors save lives, and this is a perfect example of their effectiveness if properly maintained."

The home sustained significant fire, smoke and water damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation but is not considered suspicious. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced family.

Assistance at the scene was provided by fire departments from Gilford, Belmont, Meredith, Tilton-Northfield, Franklin, Sanbornton and Holderness, Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid, as well as the Laconia Police Department.