Amherst Fire Displaces 230 Residents, Spreads to Multiple Buildings
A large fire broke out Friday night on Olympia Drive in Amherst, destroying a five-story apartment complex housing approximately 230 people. The blaze began shortly after 8 p.m. at a nearby building construction site and quickly spread to the residential building.
Firefighting Efforts and Control
Firefighters from the surrounding areas battled the fire for nearly 24 hours. The fire was first reported at 8:19 p.m. Friday and was declared under control around 7 p.m. Saturday by Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren.
“Fire crews were not able to enter the unstable building and were expected to continue extinguishing the fire from the exterior while demolition crews tore down the structure,” said Chief Stromgren.
The demolition was scheduled to be completed by Sunday morning. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident. The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is not considered suspicious.
Community Impact and Response
In response to the fire, the town declared a state of emergency on Saturday afternoon. Residents were urged to limit nonessential water use to conserve supply for firefighting efforts.
- Over 1 million gallons of water had been used by 6 p.m. Saturday.
- The fire started at a construction site, then spread to the adjacent apartment complex.
- No injuries reported despite the extensive damage.
The ongoing operation involved external firefighting and demolition to prevent further collapse or hazards.
Author's Summary
The devastating Amherst fire displaced hundreds, led to a state of emergency, and required extensive external firefighting and demolition to bring the blaze under control.