One man was sent to Concord Hospital in critical condition after a fire on Lantern Lane Thursday afternoon.

Triggered by a fire alarm just after 3 p.m., Concord Fire escalated its response after seeing smoke at the back of the two-bedroom home upon arrival. 

Firefighters reported that it was a “decent fire,” Chief John Chisholm said at the scene. “It was knocked down very quickly,” he said, and most of the damage to the home was smoke-related.

Mike Austin, who lives two doors down, looked on as one, and then several, emergency vehicles pulled onto his street. Firefighters went into the nearby house and carried his neighbor out.

“When they opened the door, black smoke came billowing out,” Austin said. “And when they got him out, they were pumping on his chest.”

After initial reports of a second victim, only one person had been home when the fire started, Chisholm said. He confirmed that the victim had been pulled from the home.

After a 3:06 p.m. emergency call, first responders arrived on the scene at 3:15 p.m. and the fire was extinguished 20 minutes later. 

A charred piece of what appeared to be living room furniture was removed from the home and laid out on the grass.

Several fire trucks and a police car lingered on the scene after the fire was extinguished as firefighters began their investigation.

Austin was one of many who stood out on their lawns, looking in towards the flashing lights. He has lived with his mother on Lantern Lane, part of the Crestwood neighborhood of manufactured homes, for seven years.

“It’s usually a quiet, Mr. Rogers neighborhood,” he said. “But this is unfortunate.” 

Property records show that the two-bedroom, two-bathroom manufactured home, owned by the estate of David Thorgerson was built in 2006, according to the city property records. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.