Electrical fire Sunday night temporarily closes DuMP

Late Sunday night, Oct. 14, a fire broke out in the Durham Marketplace, which is commonly referred to as the DuMP by the UNH student population.


According to Durham Fire Department Deputy Chief John Powers, the fire department was dispatched at 11:17 p.m. to 5 Mill Road in response to a fire alarm.


The firefighters who arrived at the scene found smoke and steam coming from the building. Inside, the sprinkler system had already been activated.


“One sprinkler had been activated and suppressed the fire. … The origin was … in the area of the cheese cooler,” Powers said.


For now, the Durham Marketplace is closed, with the entrance roped off with yellow caution tape. Two signs out front thank the fire department for its quick response and explain to the public that the Durham Marketplace will be closed until further notice.


As of Monday afternoon, Chuck Cressy, the store owner, was unavailable for comment. Store Manager Perry Shaw commented that there “was an electrical fire.”

“Everything else is going to need to be referred [to the store owner],” Shaw said.

 
“We don’t have a specific cause,” Powers said.


Both the town and state health officers were notified and brought in for further investigation. The store’s insurance company has been brought in to assess the damage, as well. Full assessment of damage in the store and of merchandise is unknown.


“There is no cause for alarm,” Powers said,.“[This was] an isolated incident.”