BROOKLINE, NH - On August 31st at 1:35 P.M., the Brookline FD was dispatched to 7 Gilsun Road for a reported structure fire with an explosion.

While en route, command immediately requested a first-alarm assignment to respond to the scene. Once on scene, command advised that they had a fully involved structure and requested a second-alarm to be struck. Heavy smoke and fire was billowing from the building and could be smelled from miles away. Primary searches were immediately initiated and were negative as responders were advised that nobody was home.

A water supply was set up at Old Milford Road and Birch Hill Road to fill tankers that were operating in the tanker shuttle. Once filled the apparatus responded back to to the scene to dump their water in the porta-tanks. Eventually command struck a third-alarm, bringing even more apparatus and manpower to the scene.

The call was placed under control at 3:20 P.M., and apparatus started to clear the scene shortly thereafter. It was also learned that two cats perished in the fire. Brookline Fire was assisted on scene by Amherst, Ashby, Brookline Ambulance, Brookline DPW, Dunstable, Greenville, Hollis, Lyndeborough, Mason, Milford, Mont Vernon, New Boston, New Ipswich, NH State Fire Marshal‘s Office, Pepperell, Townsend and Wilton. Lunenburg covered the Brookline station and Nashua covered the Hollis station.