The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
EPPING, N.H. — A three-alarm fire tore through the SIG Sauer facility in Epping Saturday morning, injuring a firefighter and drawing a large mutual aid response from surrounding communities, officials said.
The Epping Fire Department was dispatched to SIG Sauer at 233 Exeter Road at about 10:42 a.m. for a fire alarm. Automatic mutual aid was sent from the Brentwood and Lee fire departments.
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The first-arriving engine reported smoke showing from a roughly 200-by-100-foot, two-story commercial building. Firefighters entered through a side door and began an interior attack.
Due to the volume of fire, a second alarm was requested. Crews had trouble reaching other areas of the structure, prompting firefighters to pull back from the interior attack temporarily and shift to defensive operations while additional companies arrived and a water supply was established.
As crews gained access to more of the building and additional companies arrived, they re-established an interior attack.
Multiple openings had to be cut into the metal-clad building because of limited windows and access, fire officials said.
Four handlines operated inside the structure simultaneously, with crews rotating through the building. A third alarm was called for additional personnel.
The fire was declared under control at about 12:07 p.m. Crews remained at the scene for an extended period conducting overhaul operations.
One firefighter was taken to Exeter Hospital with minor injuries, treated and released.
Route 27 was closed during the response from its intersection with North Road in Brentwood to its intersection with Route 125 in Epping.
The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office was notified and is investigating.
The fire does not appear suspicious at this time, officials said. An Epping crew remained at the scene with the fire marshal’s office, and all personnel cleared the scene at about 3:07 p.m.
Departments and agencies that responded included Epping, Exeter , Kingston , Brentwood , Lee , East Kingston , Newfields , Newmarket , Durham , McGregor Ambulance, Stratham , Raymond , Candia , Sandown , Rye , Chester , Fremont and Nottingham .
The blaze was the second fire at a SIG Sauer facility in New Hampshire this year. On July 27, an explosion involving stored titanium at the company’s Exeter plant on Industrial Drive seriously injured an employee, who suffered burn injuries and was flown by helicopter to a Boston -area hospital, according to New Hampshire Public Radio.
Exeter fire officials said at the time that they were continuing to investigate the cause of that incident.
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