Fire crews knock down Hudson garage blaze

HUDSON – Firefighters from six towns converged on Hilltop Drive on Tuesday night and took about a half hour to put out a garage fire.

Hudson Fire Chief Shawn Murray said the first company arrived at 4 Hilltop Drive – a small dead-end street off Barretts Hill Drive – at 10:33 p.m., about nine minutes after the first emergency call, and found heavy fire engulfing the right side of the attached garage.

A second alarm was issued because there are no hydrants in the area and crews needed tanker trucks from surrounding towns, Murray said.

Crews from Nashua, Litchfield, Derry, Londonderry and Windham assisted at the scene. Trucks from all six towns lined Hilltop Drive and Barretts Hill Road.

Murray said several people live at the home but only one was home at the time. That person, Mostafa Elsiah, was uninjured. A man, who identified himself as Elsiah’s brother, said Elsiah did not want to comment.

Murray said the fire moved from the outside of the garage to the inside, but crews prevented it from spreading to the two-story house. The house did suffer smoke damage, he said.

Hudson’s fire prevention officer was on the scene investigating, Murray said. He said he doesn’t think the fire is suspicious. He expected to issue more information once the investigation was completed.

Hudson police Sgt. Charles Dyac said it wasn’t immediately known if the house is habitable.

Salvation Army was also on the scene distributing water and Gatorade to firefighters.