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230 UMass Amherst students displaced after fire at off-campus apartment complex
The apartment building housed mostly students, many of whom lost laptops, course materials, and personal belongings in the blaze.
A three-alarm fire tore through an off-campus apartment complex near the University of Massachusetts Amherst late Friday, displacing more than 200 UMass students and prompting the town to declare a state of emergency.
The fire broke out at a construction site adjacent to the privately-owned apartment complex at 57 Olympia Drive and was first reported at 8:18 p.m. Friday, according to Amherst officials. The Amherst Fire Department said wind-driven flames spread to the apartment building, ultimately displacing 232 people — “more than any fire in department history,” firefighters noted.
Town officials said there were multiple explosions, likely from fuel tanks at the construction site, and at least one crane collapsed. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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“There have been no reported injuries or loss of human life,” Amherst officials said in a later update. “Efforts were made to rescue pets; while some were successfully saved, we deeply regret that others were lost during the rescue efforts.”
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Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman declared a state of emergency as crews worked to extinguish the flames, urging residents to stop non-essential water use after firefighters used more than one million gallons. He lifted the state of emergency at 5 p.m. Sunday.
“No community can ever be prepared for this level of emergency,” Bockelman said in a statement, extending “heartfelt gratitude” to first responders and neighboring communities who provided mutual aid. “Their dedication, cooperation, and swift response were vital in managing this challenging situation.”
The apartment complex was ultimately demolished, with residents unable to reenter the building to retrieve their belongings.
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“Firefighters initially attempted to combat the blaze from within, but the structure quickly became too unstable,” town officials explained. “With floors beginning to collapse, conditions were too dangerous for anyone to enter, including firefighters. On Saturday afternoon, the Fire Chief determined that the only way to effectively control the fire was to demolish the existing structure to the ground.”
In a letter to faculty members Saturday, UMass Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Fouad Abd-El-Khalick said 230 of the displaced residents were students, many of whom lost laptops, course materials, and personal belongings in the blaze.
In a separate message, the university’s Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life said the Red Cross and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency partnered with UMass to coordinate assistance for the displaced residents. A small number of students who were unable to find emergency housing have been placed in temporary on-campus residences, according to UMass.
The university also set up a webpage with fundraising, housing, counseling, food, and legal resources for displaced students. Amherst Firefighters Local 1764 said the blaze was one of the largest the community has ever seen.
“Crews worked tirelessly through the night — with help from our mutual aid partners — to stop the spread and protect lives,” the union said in a statement. “Despite being understaffed and stretched thin, their dedication and teamwork prevented what could have been a devastating loss of life.”
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