Amherst Fire Displaces 230 Residents, Spreads Across Multiple Buildings
A major fire erupted Friday night on Olympia Drive in Amherst, destroying a five-story apartment building housing about 230 people and damaging a nearby construction site where the blaze started shortly after 8 p.m.
Firefighting Efforts and Control
The fire was first reported at 8:19 p.m. and engaged firefighters from across the region for nearly 24 hours. Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren announced the fire was brought under control around 7 p.m. on Saturday.
"Crews were unable to enter the unstable structure and continued to fight the fire from outside while demolition teams worked to tear down the building."
The demolition was expected to finish by Sunday morning. No injuries were reported during the incident.
Town Response and Investigation
Authorities declared a state of emergency on Saturday afternoon, urging residents to limit nonessential water usage to conserve resources for firefighting. By 6 p.m. that day, over one million gallons of water had been consumed in battling the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is currently not considered suspicious.
Key Facts
- Fire began around 8 p.m. Friday at a construction site.
- Fire destroyed a five-story apartment complex housing 230 people.
- No injuries reported.
- Fire under control by 7 p.m. Saturday.
- State of emergency declared; water use restricted to aid firefighting.
Author's summary: A massive fire on Olympia Drive in Amherst devastated a large apartment building and nearby construction site, displacing 230 residents but causing no injuries, with firefighting continuing into the weekend.