23-04-2025
Overnight fire heavily damages 'haunted' Windham Restaurant
Fire heavily damaged a popular Windham restaurant overnight Wednesday.
The fire at Windham Restaurant was reported about 1 a.m. to Derry Fire Department's communications center by a 911 caller. As that call was coming in, employees of a McDonald's across the street also reported the restaurant at 59 Range Road ablaze.
Firefighters found heavy flames in the rear of the building on arrival and additional crews from nearby Salem, Derry, Londonderry and Pelham were called in.
A second alarm was soon struck, bringing in mutual aid from Nashua, Hampstead and Hudson. The Southeastern New Hampshire Hazardous Materials Mutual Aid District Rehab Unit was also requested to the scene. Crews from Methuen, Massachusetts, and Atkinson provided station coverage.
The fire was concentrated within the kitchen area, including the kitchen's walk-in freezer, fire officials said. There was also heavy fire damage reported to the exterior of the building.
Fire crews were able to keep the fire from spreading to the main portion of the building, including a newly-renovated area for entertainment. The majority of the building suffered smoke and light water damage, Windham fire officials said.
No one was in the building at the time of the fire and there were no reported injuries.
The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office was contacted and is investigating the origin and cause of the blaze.
The Windham Restaurant, considered a historic local landmark, has been serving the community for more 22 years, but long before it became a restaurant the site was part of a working farm dating back to 1729.
The Colonial-style home that houses the restaurant today was built in 1812, and was once owned by the Dinsmore family.
Popular legend has it that the site is haunted, with the New England Ghost Project reporting sightings of a young boy, a young girl, a spirit named 'Jacob' and tales of dishes flying off shelves, chairs moving and boxes wrapped like Christmas presents being stacked by an unknown entity.
Attempts to reach restaurant ownership Wednesday morning were unsuccessful.
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