Large Fire in Amherst Displaces Over 200 People, Many UMass Students
In Amherst, Massachusetts, a devastating fire late Friday night destroyed a large apartment complex that served as off-campus housing for numerous University of Massachusetts (UMass) students. More than 200 residents have been displaced as a result of the blaze.
Firefighters from multiple communities across western Massachusetts responded to the three-alarm fire, which erupted on Olympia Drive, close to the UMass campus. The flames consumed the apartment complex and a nearby four-story building that was still under construction.
“One four-story building that was under construction has collapsed and other buildings nearby are still burning and have partially collapsed,”
stated the Amherst Fire Department in a Saturday morning press release. Officials noted that efforts to extinguish the fire were complicated by poor water pressure in the area.
“Crews worked tirelessly through the night — with help from our mutual aid partners — to stop the spread and protect lives,”
the department added on social media.
Despite the scale of destruction, no injuries were reported by town and university officials. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Author’s Summary
Over 200 Amherst residents, including many UMass students, lost housing in one of the town’s largest fires; no injuries reported, cause still unknown.