Amherst Fire Displaces 230 Residents, Spreads to Multiple Buildings
A fierce fire erupted on Olympia Drive in Amherst Friday night, consuming a five-story apartment complex home to approximately 230 people and a nearby construction site where the blaze started just after 8 p.m.
Firefighters from across the region fought the fire continuously from Friday evening until nearly 7 p.m. Saturday, when Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren announced the fire was under control.
"Fire crews were unable to enter the unstable building and continued extinguishing the fire from outside while demolition teams worked to tear down the structure," Chief Stromgren said in a Saturday night press release.
The demolition was expected to be complete by Sunday morning. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is not considered suspicious.
Due to the scale of the blaze, the town declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon and urged residents to limit nonessential water use to support firefighting efforts. Officials reported that over 1 million gallons of water had been consumed by 6 p.m. Saturday.
The large-scale response and ongoing efforts highlight the magnitude of this devastating fire and its impact on the Amherst community.
Author's summary: A major fire in Amherst destroyed an apartment building and nearby site, displacing 230 people; firefighting efforts used over a million gallons of water and continue with demolition.
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