Amherst Fire Displaces 230 Residents and Spreads to Multiple Buildings
A fire broke out Friday night on Olympia Drive in Amherst, destroying a five-story apartment building housing approximately 230 people as well as a nearby construction site where the fire originated shortly after 8 p.m.
Firefighters from the region battled the blaze, first reported at 8:19 p.m., for nearly 24 hours. Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren announced the fire was brought under control by around 7 p.m. the following day.
Firefighting Challenges and Safety Measures
Due to the instability of the apartment building, crews were unable to enter it safely. Firefighters continued to combat the fire externally while demolition teams worked on tearing down the structure.
The demolition was anticipated to conclude by Sunday morning. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries from the incident.
Investigation and Emergency Response
The fire remains under investigation but has not been classified as suspicious.
On Saturday afternoon, the town declared a state of emergency and urged residents to avoid nonessential water use to help preserve water supplies for firefighting efforts. Officials reported that over 1 million gallons of water had been consumed by 6 p.m.
"Fire crews were not able to enter the unstable building and were expected to continue to extinguish the fire from the exterior while demolition crews tore down the structure." — Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren
Summary: A major fire in Amherst displaced 230 residents and caused a state of emergency, with firefighting efforts focused on controlling the blaze externally due to building instability.