Concord police and state fire officials are seeking the public’s help to determine if two structure fires near each other in Penacook during the wee hours on Monday night were accidental or not.

While the investigation is ongoing and no conclusion has been reached, the proximity of the fires and the timing of each suggest that arson is a possibility.

Concord Police Deputy Chief John Thomas would not speculate on the likelihood that someone set the fires – both of which were on Village Street, less than a mile apart.

“Anytime you have a fire like these, under very questionable circumstances, you need evidence to determine what happened,” Thomas said. “The question becomes whether the fire was deliberately set or an accident. We don’t know at this point.”

Police and fire officials have asked the public for assistance to help determine if foul play was involved.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Concord Police Department,” Concord Police said in a statement. “Members of the public are also asked to check their home camera systems for any suspicious activity during the hours leading up to, as well as after, the blazes.”

First responders were sent to Penacook Elementary School, at 60 Village Street, at about 1 a.m. Monday and found the gazebo in the school’s playground engulfed by fire. That fire was under control by 2 a.m.

Next, at about 2:30 a.m., firefighters and Concord police and detectives were sent to the clearance center owned by Cheney Apple House Furniture at 191 Village Street, which was engulfed in what Concord Fire Chief John Chisholm called a “heavy fire.”

The clearance center serves as a storage facility and outlet for Cheney Apple House Furniture, selling its older stock. Cheney Furniture’s main location, next door to the clearance facility, was undamaged and remains open.

The fire began in the left rear corner of the building facing Lilac Street, pushing thick billows of black smoke skyward while flames spread inside.

The fire was deemed under control at 4:42 a.m. and left piles of rubble, smashed windows and charred furniture in front of the building on Village Street. Longtime owner Tom Cheney said nothing appeared to be salvageable.

By the time the sun rose, police and fire officials had arson on their radar as the possible cause.

“Any time we have fires that are that close in time and distance, we consider it,” Chisholm said by phone Monday. “We’re moving forward, and we may rule absolutely that it was not arson, but we do take that into consideration.”

The State Fire Marshal’s office has trained two dogs, both yellow Labradors, to sniff for ignitable liquid, which, if found in Penacook, could mean the fires were intentionally set.

Deputy State Fire Marshal Adam Fanjoy is one of two handlers at the agency who works with the dogs. His partner, Anthem, was at the scene on Monday sniffing for clues. When an accelerant is detected, she sits and points to the spot with her nose.

Fanjoy wouldn’t reveal much about Anthem’s behavior at the furniture storage facility after the flames were extinguished.

“I can’t get into any of the details,” Fanjoy said. “I’m requested if they need a dog and they did. Concord fire and police conducted the investigation; I was used as a resource.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Concord police at 603-225-8600, or online at concordregionalcrimeline.com, or by texting a message to TIP234.

At this point, officials are seeking any evidence they can obtain.

“We can not just jump to conclusions,” Deputy Chief Thomas said. “It doesn’t matter what you or I think.”

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