No one hurt in Gilford garage fire

GILFORD — The occupant of an improvised garage apartment escaped unharmed from a fire early Friday morning. The fire heavily damaged his living quarters.

The fire department was notified of the fire at 194 Country Club Road at 12:36 a.m. When the first firefighters arrived on the scene they saw smoke coming from the second floor of the garage and called for a first alarm summoning additional personnel and equipment from neighboring departments.

A man who was living on the second floor managed to escape without injury.

Fire Chief Steve Carrier said the occupant told firefighters he heard a sound and woke up to find smoke.

The living space did not meet building or fire code standards or regulations, the chief said.

“The occupant was very lucky. He was living in an illegal, make-shift apartment,” Carrier said.

There was no working smoke detector on the second floor, and the only exit was through the interior of the building, he explained.

There were no vehicles inside the garage which was cluttered with assorted items.

Carrier said fire crews had difficulty stretching hose lines through the building due to an “unusual, heavy amount of storage in the garage bays.” They also had trouble finding the stairway that led to the second floor because of the jumble.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control in about 25 minutes, but had to spend considerable time opening walls, ceilings, and voids to check for hidden fires or smoldering embers. Some firefighters and equipment remained on the scene until 4 a.m.

Damage is estimated to be at least $50,000, Carrier said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the chief said. There was significant fire damage to the apartment area. Fire spread along the roof and walls adjacent to the apartment. There was extensive smoke and water damage to the contents in the garage itself.

Four pieces of firefighting apparatus and two command personnel from Gilford were at the scene, as were a fire engine and ladder truck and two chief officers from Laconia. Belmont, Meredith, and Tilton-Northfield fire departments provided additional mutual aid support. Gilford Police assisted at the scene.

Sanbornton and Franklin provided coverage at the Gilford station.