Amherst fire displaces 230 people, spreads to multiple buildings
A massive fire on Olympia Drive in Amherst broke out Friday night and took nearly 24 hours for crews to bring under control. The blaze destroyed a five-story apartment complex housing around 230 residents, as well as a nearby building construction site where the fire is believed to have started shortly after 8 p.m.
Firefighters from across the region battled the flames reported at 8:19 p.m. Friday until they were contained by about 7 p.m. Saturday.
Response and aftermath
Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren said that crews were unable to enter the unstable structure and continued working from the exterior while demolition teams dismantled the remains.
Demolition work was expected to be completed by Sunday morning. Stromgren also stated that there were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though it is not currently considered suspicious.
Emergency measures
On Saturday afternoon, the town declared a state of emergency and urged residents to limit nonessential water use to preserve supplies for firefighting. Officials reported that over one million gallons of water had been used by 6 p.m. that day.
Author’s Summary
A devastating Amherst blaze consumed an apartment complex and displaced 230 residents, prompting a local emergency and extensive firefighting efforts using over a million gallons of water.