1 dead in New Hampshire fire that forced residents to jump from balconies

One person is dead and eight others were injured in a fire that tore through a New Hampshire apartment building early New Year’s Day, forcing residents to jump for their lives from balconies, according to officials.

The blaze broke out just after midnight Thursday on the third floor of the four-story Manchester apartment building, trapping residents on multiple floors, Boston 25 News reported.

When firefighters arrived, flames engulfed much of the third and fourth floors and stretched to the roof as residents desperately tried to escape.

Crews used ladders and bucket trucks to rescue others from both the front and back of the building while others leapt to safety amid frigid temperatures. Among those saved was a child trapped in a fourth-floor bedroom, officials said.

“They were jumping from the balconies. The fire started on the third floor so that’s what we’re going to start looking at now, getting in the building,” New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey told WMUR. 

“We just finished interviews with all the occupants. We believe the fire started on the third floor. And it prevented people from getting out into the hallways,” he added.

One unidentified person was killed and eight were hospitalized, including one person in critical condition, officials said. 

At least 10 families were displaced and were keeping warm at a local church, where they are being assisted by the American Red Cross. The building, which was home to 40 residents, has been declared uninhabitable.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.