Deadly New Year’s Day Apartment Fire in Manchester, New Hampshire

Fatal Fire Erupts After Midnight in Manchester

One person died and a child was critically injured when a fire swept through an apartment building on Union Street in Manchester, New Hampshire, just over 30 minutes after New Year’s Eve turned to New Year’s Day.

The incident occurred minutes after midnight on New Year’s Day, when flames began raging through the multi-story apartment building. When the Manchester Fire Department arrived, fire was already pouring from the third and fourth floors and extending into the roof.

Multiple Injuries and Critical Conditions Reported

Authorities confirmed that a total of eight people were injured in the fire. One man was found nearby in a hallway inside the building. Fire crews carried him down a stairwell and transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officials did not release his name.

Firefighters received reports that a child was inside a fourth-floor bedroom. According to the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s office, the child was found unresponsive and removed from the building through a fourth-floor window. Emergency crews rushed the child to a local hospital, and the child was later transported to a hospital in Boston in critical condition.

A woman was also transferred to a Boston hospital in critical condition. Five additional people remain hospitalized with serious injuries.

Rescue Operations at the Union Street Apartment

When firefighters reached the Union Street building in Manchester, they encountered multiple residents on balconies and at windows. One person jumped from a second-floor balcony to escape the flames. Other residents were rescued by firefighters using ground ladders and aerial buckets.

The Manchester Fire Department stated that all first-arriving crews operated in rescue mode as they worked to remove people from the burning structure. Firefighters brought the blaze under control, knocking it down just before 2 a.m.

Displacement and Emergency Shelter

Approximately 50 people lived in the apartment building affected by the fire. Officials reported that the Red Cross is assisting 10 families displaced by the incident. Residents from the building were taken to First Baptist Church for temporary shelter.

Cause and Status of the Investigation

Fire investigators reported that the blaze appears to have started in a third-floor bedroom of the Union Street building. Authorities stated that the fire is not considered suspicious. No additional cause details were provided.

Account from a Resident

Resident Jonathan Barrett described attempting to escape with his family during the fire. He said he tried to rally his wife, son, and daughter and looked for a way to get down safely from the building using one of the railings by sliding down a pole, but was unable to do so. Barrett reported that heavy smoke limited their options and that he chose to remain with his family and wait for firefighters to arrive.