AMHERST, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — A five-story apartment building at 57 Olympia Drive in Amherst collapsed in a 3-alarm fire Friday evening.
No injuries were reported in the fire, however approximately 223 residents, most of which are students at UMass Amherst, were displaced.
Crews worked for over 24 hours on scene with mutual aid coming in to assist with manpower and shuttling in water. The building was deemed a total loss and demolished.
The Town of Amherst has declared a state of emergency following the destruction of the fire, urging residents to halt non-essential water usage while firefighters worked to extinguish the flames. According to Amherst Town Officials, over 1 million gallons of water were used in fire suppression efforts.
The State of Emergency declaration also ensures the town can access emergency state or federal funds to assist displaced residents, property owners, and the town.