Nashua, New Hampshire apartment fire leaves 2 men dead

Two men died early Tuesday morning after a fire broke out at a multi-family home in Nashua, New Hampshire.

It happened around 3 a.m. on Orange Street.

According to New Hampshire Fire Marshal Sean Toomey, flames ripped through the second floor of the home that has up to eight units.

Cellphone video showed flames shooting through the windows of the building.

Toomey said one man was rescued from the home, but later died at the hospital. A second man was found dead inside when firefighters searched the house.

Authorities have not yet released the names of the two men. Autopsies are scheduled to be performed later Tuesday. Toomey said the men lived in separate units in the apartment building.

According to Toomey, if the deaths are confirmed to have been caused by the fire, that would bring the state total to 15 so far this year. That compares to 18 fire fatalities all of last year in New Hampshire.

"Unfortunately, we're seeing a lot of fatalities. This is the fourth double fatality we've had this year," Toomey said.

Witness Jose Ortiz said he was sleeping when he woke up and saw the flames at the neighboring building. He said he could hear someone screaming for help.

Toomey said it's too early to tell if there were working smoke detectors in the home.

The fire is not currently considered suspicious, but Toomey said arson dogs were brought in to investigate as is regularly the case following fatal fires. The dogs are able to detect any scents that would indicate accelerants were used.