EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA
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New Hampshire
Cause of Derry fire remains unknown Business owners still picking up the pieces
Published: December 1, 2007
DERRY, N.H. - Fire investigators have yet to pinpoint the cause of Thursday night's massive blaze at a Rockingham Road building, but have determined that it originated on the second floor.
Meanwhile, the owners of at least two of the three businesses in the building, a motorcycle shop and a computer business, plan to continue operations, perhaps at another location.
Local investigators and an insurance company investigator will team up to dig into the charred debris of 238 Rockingham Road to determine the fire's cause, said Mike Scott, director of fire prevention for the Derry Fire Department. That work was not expected to happen until today at the earliest. Officials have said they do not believe the fire was set.
The steel-shell building with wood partitions inside appears to be a complete loss. Yellow tape encircled the building yesterday, and the smell of charred insulation, ceiling tiles and furniture still hung in the air. Broken window screens were scattered on the pavement.
Steve Lombari of Salem, the building owner, said the town of Derry is trying to help find the three businesses another location to continue operations. Lombari's own company, New England Computer Remarketing, Inc., was one of the businesses in the building.
Yesterday afternoon Lombari was awaiting the arrival of an insurance adjuster. He was hopeful that he could recover some musical equipment that he kept at the 5,200-square-foot building. The collection included two vintage bass guitars.
Ross Miller, co-owner of Trikes Northeast, which assembles three-wheel motorcycles, also was hopeful that he could salvage a custom-built motorcycle that he and his father, Les, had assembled over the course of several years. Standing outside the building, he pointed to the motorcycle in the ruins.
But ultimately, he said he was just grateful that no one was hurt in the blaze.
"That's the most important thing," Miller said. "Stuff, stuff can be replaced."
Trikes Northeast employee Matt Schunemann, 27, was waiting in the parking lot yesterday to see how his new tool collection was effected. He had a new Snap-on tool chest filled with electronic, hand and other tools.
The company has a couple of conversions on order, and he expects to keep busy. "The show's not over," he said.
Innovative Computer Services, owned by Ray Marcoux, was the third business in the structure.
Meanwhile, the owners of at least two of the three businesses in the building, a motorcycle shop and a computer business, plan to continue operations, perhaps at another location.
Local investigators and an insurance company investigator will team up to dig into the charred debris of 238 Rockingham Road to determine the fire's cause, said Mike Scott, director of fire prevention for the Derry Fire Department. That work was not expected to happen until today at the earliest. Officials have said they do not believe the fire was set.
The steel-shell building with wood partitions inside appears to be a complete loss. Yellow tape encircled the building yesterday, and the smell of charred insulation, ceiling tiles and furniture still hung in the air. Broken window screens were scattered on the pavement.
Steve Lombari of Salem, the building owner, said the town of Derry is trying to help find the three businesses another location to continue operations. Lombari's own company, New England Computer Remarketing, Inc., was one of the businesses in the building.
Yesterday afternoon Lombari was awaiting the arrival of an insurance adjuster. He was hopeful that he could recover some musical equipment that he kept at the 5,200-square-foot building. The collection included two vintage bass guitars.
Ross Miller, co-owner of Trikes Northeast, which assembles three-wheel motorcycles, also was hopeful that he could salvage a custom-built motorcycle that he and his father, Les, had assembled over the course of several years. Standing outside the building, he pointed to the motorcycle in the ruins.
But ultimately, he said he was just grateful that no one was hurt in the blaze.
"That's the most important thing," Miller said. "Stuff, stuff can be replaced."
Trikes Northeast employee Matt Schunemann, 27, was waiting in the parking lot yesterday to see how his new tool collection was effected. He had a new Snap-on tool chest filled with electronic, hand and other tools.
The company has a couple of conversions on order, and he expects to keep busy. "The show's not over," he said.
Innovative Computer Services, owned by Ray Marcoux, was the third business in the structure.
Eighty-three firefighters from 22 towns battled Thursday night's blaze. Efforts were hampered by the presence of propane and acetylene cylinders in the building.
The size and intensity of the fire quickly outpaced the water supply, firefighters said, as the municipal water system does not extend to that part town. A line of tankers from 14 fire departments trucked in water to fight the blaze, ferrying the supply from a fire hydrant at West Running Brook Middle School to the building.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control at 9:04 p.m., more than three hours after the first alarm sounded.
