On July 29th, Gorham Fire and EMS faced a demanding afternoon, handling back-to-back incidents with the help of our Mutual Aid partners — Professional Firefighters of Berlin IAFF Local 1088, Shelburne Fire Department, and Randolph Fire Department. Gorham NH Police Department and Gorham Water and Sewer also provided critical on-scene support.

The first call came in at 11:20 a.m. for a leaking propane tank at 2 Broadway Street. Crews arrived to find the tank off-gassing dangerously close to a building and several vehicles. With personnel stretched thin, Berlin Fire was requested for assistance. A propane company representative determined the tank had been overfilled due to a faulty gauge, and the day’s heat caused the pressure relief to activate. Firefighters deployed a water curtain and monitored gas levels inside the building, finding no readings, while excess propane was bled off safely.

At 12:40 p.m., as crews were wrapping up the propane leak, a new report came in for a structure fire at 22 Second Street. With confirmation of active fire, a First Alarm was struck. Berlin and Shelburne Fire responded to the scene, while Randolph Fire covered the station.

A transitional attack was initiated on arrival, with a hose line advanced through the front door to knock down the flames. The fire, which started in the living room, had largely burned itself out before arrival, but left heavy fire damage to the first floor and significant smoke damage upstairs. Crews rotated through interior operations under extreme heat to avoid exhaustion. The fire’s cause could not be determined due to severe damage in the area of origin, prompting a response from the NH Fire Marshal’s Office.

Meanwhile, Gorham Ambulance personnel stood by at both scenes — and still managed to handle three additional calls. This summer has been marked by multiple-call days and challenging mid-day responses, and July 29th was no exception.