Hundreds Evacuated from Historic New Hampshire Theater amid Devastating Fire
About 450 people were inside The Flying Monkey theater when a multiple-alarm fire broke out nearby on Saturday night
Tammy Court/Plymouth Fire-Rescue/Facebook
Fire at New Hampshire Theater The Flying MonkeyAbout 450 people were evacuated during a concert after a fire broke out nearby in a New Hampshire town
Multiple buildings were engaged in the three-alarm fire in Plymouth on Saturday night
One firefighter sustained a shoulder injury in the incident, authorities said
About 450 people were evacuated during a concert at a historic theater in New Hampshire after a three-alarm fire involving multiple buildings broke out nearby, authorities said.
One firefighter sustained a shoulder injury in the incident, which happened shortly after 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 20 in Plymouth, Plymouth Fire-Rescue said in a news release.
The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center, located at 39 Main Street, was near-capacity for a concert at the time of the fire. Two commercial buildings — Downtown Pizza and the former Peppercorn Natural Food Store — were heavily involved in the blaze, which was elevated to three alarms. No one was found to be inside either building.
More than a dozen agencies battled the fire, which proved to be a challenge because of the proximity of the buildings and the fact that one structure had multiple ceilings, Plymouth Fire-Rescue said, per the release.
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Firefighters were engaged in a “defensive operation” and evacuated themselves from one building during the fire, according to authorities.
“The fire companies are to be commended for holding this fire to the two buildings involved,” Chief Tom Morrison said. “The manager of the Flying Monkey is also to be commended for discovering the fire, activating the fire alarm system at that location and notifying 911.”
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Hundreds of music-goers at the Foreigner and Journey tribute band show were safe, thanks to theater staff evacuating the crowd, CEO Vincent Vella said, according to Boston.com.
“We are so proud of our Flying Monkey staff who noticed the fire next door and took quick action to calmly and safely evacuate everyone from our building,” Vella said. “They put guest and staff safety first and have our utmost respect for their heroic efforts.”
While the theater sustained minor smoke damage, Vella added: “We are unbelievably lucky and happy to report that our beloved venue has survived such a devastating event.”
Plymouth Fire-Rescue and the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office are now investigating the cause of the fire. The theater will remain closed for the next few days, per Boston.com.
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