Residents evacuated during fire at Keene apartment building

Mar. 4—A fire Thursday morning in Keene displaced the residents of a three-story apartment building on Marlboro Street, according to Fire Chief Mark Howard, who said no one was seriously injured.

Firefighters arrived at 52 Marlboro St. around 11:40 a.m. after receiving a call that people may have been trapped inside of a burning building, Howard said.

Upon arrival, most of the building's front was completely engulfed in flames, he said, and residents were trying to escape out of the second-floor windows.

"The first five to 10 minutes were chaotic," Howard said.

First responders were able to get everyone out of the building safely, though at least two people were taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation, according to Howard. In a later news release, Howard said smoke inhalation was reported to have affected three people.

He wasn't sure how many people were inside, but said that all were accounted for.

The intersection of Main and Marlboro streets was blocked off while first responders were on scene.

The fire was extinguished within the first 30 minutes, Howard said. The cause is still under investigation.

The fire caused about $75,000 worth of damage to two apartments, and other units sustained some smoke and water damage, Howard said in the news release.

The American Red Cross has been contacted to provide assistance to those affected.

Fire crews from several nearby towns assisted Keene at the scene.

This article has been updated with additional details from the Keene Fire Department.

Olivia Belanger can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1439, or obelanger@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBelangerKS.