07/13/2026
On Saturday, July 11th at 9:45 a.m., Goffstown Fire and Police departments were dispatched following a 9-1-1 call reporting a vehicle fire. The caller was unable to provide a location, and a language barrier made determining the scene more challenging. At 9:48 a.m., Goffstown Fire was sent to the area of 24 Locust Hill Road based on information available at the time.
At the time of dispatch, Station 1’s crew was already committed to a medical emergency, and Station 2’s response required use of the Kelly Street Bridge due to the temporary closure of Henry Bridge.
Goffstown Police arrived at 9:50 a.m. and found a fully involved vehicle fire spreading into the adjacent woods. At 9:55 a.m., officers reported a small explosion within the vehicle that projected debris across the roadway, igniting a second brush fire.
Engine 2 arrived at 9:59 a.m. with two firefighters and one probationary firefighter, encountering a fully involved vehicle fire and two separate brush fires. None of the department’s seven call firefighters were available to respond at that time. Fire progression was stopped at 10:06 a.m. Ambulance 1’s crew returned from Catholic Medical Center and deployed Tanker 1, providing the additional water needed to fully extinguish remaining fire conditions. All units cleared the scene at 10:50 a.m.
National fire response standards recommend the arrival of four firefighters within four minutes, and a second engine with four firefighters within six minutes. On July 11th, Engine 2 arrived in 11 minutes with three, and Tanker 1 arrived in 16 minutes with two. Goffstown Fire’s average response time is eight minutes with a crew of three.
The Goffstown Fire Department is committed to providing effective emergency response with the staffing and resources available, and we appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we continue to meet increasing call demands and operational challenges.
