Amherst Fire Displaces 230 People and Spreads to Multiple Buildings
A severe fire broke out on Olympia Drive in Amherst Friday night and took nearly 24 hours for crews to control. The blaze destroyed a five-story apartment complex housing around 230 residents, as well as a nearby construction site where the fire initially started shortly after 8 p.m.
Firefighters from the surrounding area battled the fire, which was first reported at 8:19 p.m. on Friday, working through much of Saturday. Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren announced the fire was under control around 7 p.m. Saturday.
Due to instability, fire crews could not enter the damaged building and had to continue extinguishing the flames from outside while demolition teams dismantled the structure. This demolition was expected to be completed by Sunday morning.
"There were no injuries, and the fire is under investigation but is not being treated as suspicious," said Chief Stromgren.
On Saturday afternoon, the town declared a state of emergency and urged residents to limit nonessential water use to preserve water for firefighting efforts. Officials reported that over 1 million gallons of water had been used by 6 p.m. Saturday.
Summary
The massive fire on Olympia Drive in Amherst displaced 230 residents, destroyed multiple buildings, and required extensive firefighting and demolition efforts while prompting a state emergency due to water usage.