No injuries, no one displaced in Washington Street house fire Friday

LACONIA — No one was injured in a Washington Street fire on Friday that drew companies from several communities. The fire, which broke out in a third-floor bedroom, was mostly extinguish by the residents even before firefighters arrived.

“We got a report of a building fire, and when we got here, it seems like the occupants put it out with an extinguisher before we arrived,” said Deputy Chief Scott Lewandowski on Friday at the scene. “Or the majority of it. They are checking for overhaul and making sure everything is out.”

Laconia Fire was dispatched to 49 Washington St. for a report of a fire at 2:21 p.m. on Jan. 30, arriving 7 minutes later. Deputy Chief Louis Loutrel said it appears it was caused by “an incompletely extinguished match,” and was an accident.

“It sounds like a match was put down on some combustibles, and it still had some heat to it,” Loutrel said.

Loutrel said one of the teenage residents discovered the fire and called to his father, who was outside, about how to use the fire extinguisher. The man ran upstairs and put out the fire himself. Loutrel said firefighters used a water extinguisher to spray down some smoldering debris, but it was mostly out.

While there was no visible fire or smoke, there was a burning smell outside the residence. Firefighters were going in and out of the building Friday afternoon, and one firefighter carried out a smoldering mattress and laid it on the lawn in front of the porch. Several other firefighters followed with burnt blankets and clothing, some still smoking, as well as other smoldering items which were unidentifiable.

“We didn’t have to open up any hydrants, and they handled it with the portable water we had,” Lewandowski said. “We were prepared to stretch the line, but we didn’t end up charging it. The homeowner did a great job, and [was] able to knock it down before we got here.”

Laconia resident Tracy Ingram said the home is occupied by her great-nephew and his children. The structure is a duplex, also holding 51 Washington, where her parents reside.

Ingram didn’t know exactly what happened, but she said the fire broke out in her great-nephew’s bedroom. She had just finished giving blood and was recovering when she saw a post on Facebook about a fire on Washington Street. Ingram called her parents and asked whose house it was.

“I called my mom and asked, ‘Whose house on Washington Street?’ and she was like, ‘It’s ours,'” Ingram said. “So, I just ran out.”

Friday afternoon, a man was sitting on the back of a truck in the driveway, and a woman came up to hug him, as firefighters continued to unload burnt items. The man spoke with firefighters, then went into 51 Washington side of the duplex.

Ingram, who was standing with firefighters as they continued to bring out burnt material, said it was a scary situation, but she was happy to know her family was OK.

“I was really concerned about my parents, and they are at my neighbor’s house, who graciously took them in, because they’re elderly,” Ingram said.

Firefighters cleared the scene at 3:13 p.m. and turned it back over to the homeowners. No one was displaced from their home. Loutrel said there were no injuries to any civilians or firefighters.

Loutrel said the fire was contained to the one room, which sustained smoke and fire damage.

Fire departments from Belmont, Gilford and Laconia responded, while Meredith and Tilton/Northfield provided station coverage.