Amherst Fire Displaces 230 Residents
A major fire broke out on Olympia Drive in Amherst Friday night, destroying a five-story apartment building and an adjacent construction site where the blaze began shortly after 8 p.m. Around 230 people were displaced by the fire.
Firefighting Efforts
Firefighters from across the region worked for nearly 24 hours to contain the fire, which was first reported at 8:19 p.m. Friday. Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren announced the fire was under control by approximately 7 p.m. Saturday.
Safety and Demolition
"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."
Demolition was scheduled to finish by Sunday morning. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Water Usage and Emergency Declaration
The town declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon and urged residents to avoid nonessential water use to conserve supply for firefighting. Officials reported that over one million gallons of water had been used by 6 p.m. Saturday.
Investigation Status
The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is not currently considered suspicious.
Summary
The extensive fire on Olympia Drive displaced hundreds, prompted a state of emergency, and required massive firefighting resources, yet no injuries were reported.
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