House Fire On Route 132 In Canterbury Goes To 2-Alarms; House Considered A Total Loss

CANTERBURY, NH — Firefighters from Belknap and Merrimack counties assisted Canterbury firefighters in extinguishing a house fire on Tuesday afternoon at 188 Southwest Road.

Firefighters arrived at the home on Route 132 around 1:15 p.m. Canterbury Fire Chief Mike Gamache met with the homeowners, who were at the end of their driveway after self-evacuating. He reported “heavy fire” venting from a two-car garage under the house and up the side of the garage, about 20 feet above the roof line.

“Within minutes, the entire home was consumed by fire as the rapidly progressing fire overtook the available resources and water supply,” Gamache said.

With the nearest water source a mile away, a second alarm was sounded, bringing additional resources to the scene.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but a malfunctioning vehicle, recently parked in the garage, is being eyed as a possible source of ignition, the chief said. The home is considered a total loss. The home was valued at around $600,000.

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The Red Cross was requested to assist the occupants in accessing temporary housing, clothing, and other items.

Gamache thanked the following fire departments that assisted at the scene: Belmont, Bow, Chichester, Concord, Franklin, Loudon, and Tilton-Northfield. Also assisting were the Penacook Rescue team, Capital Area C1, the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office, Canterbury police, and the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office. Pembroke firefighter also provided mutual aid coverage to the town during the incident, he said.

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