Massive Fire Destroys Bedford, NH Home

BEDFORD, N.H. (CBS) -- Firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze at a home on Burleigh Terrace Tuesday.

Multiple fire crews were on the scene, with roughly 55 firefighters present. Flames from the fire could be seen from Route 101.

Officials said that a call came in around 12:30 reporting smoke in the attic of the five-bedroom home.

"Our response was like 4 to 5 minutes and when we got here there was light smoke along the roof line of the house," Bedford Fire Chief Scott Wiggin said.

But firefighters got more than they bargained for in a concealed space in the home's attic.

"Opened up the ceiling, the fire just came straight down on them and blew out the top of the roof," Wiggin said.

The home is a total loss, but the occupants got out safely.

"This is a rural area for us and there are no municipal hydrants," Wiggin said. "So, we have to shuttle the water in tankers and create a rural hydrant hitch with a tank."

The property is valued at $834,500, according to public records.

The cause of the fire was not yet known.

• New Hampshire
• Fire