By Clynton Namuo
The Union Leader
DOVER, Del. — Fire destroyed a North End home Tuesday afternoon and sent firefighters scrambling as the building began to collapse on itself.
Firefighters reported to a two-story home at 24 Conifer Commons, off Glenwood Avenue, a little after 12:30 Tuesday afternoon and found the upstairs engulfed in “heavy fire,” Assistant Fire Chief Richard Driscoll said.
The blaze had a head start on firefighters, coming from the nearby North End station on Sixth Street, and had already extended into the attic when they arrived, Driscoll said.
Firefighters went to work quickly to douse the flames amid a constant snowfall, Driscoll said, but had to pull out after the second floor began collapsing onto the first.
“The home’s a total loss,” he said.
The entire interior of the home’s second story appeared burned Tuesday afternoon. The roof was burned off and smoke continued to billow from the structure even after most of the fire had already been doused.
Firefighters used a ladder to survey the building from above and put out hot spots.
Three people lived at the home, Driscoll said, but no one was there when the blaze began.
The fire appears to have started in a second-floor bedroom, Driscoll said.
Firefighters said a man driving by noticed the fire and sprang into action.
“I broke into the house and hollered to see if anyone was home,” said the man, who declined to give his name and remained on scene as firefighters cleaned up.
Other area departments, including Somersworth and Durham, helped respond to the fire. No one was injured in the blaze.
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