Amherst fire displaces 230 people, spreads to multiple buildings

Amherst Fire Displaces 230 People, Spreads to Multiple Buildings

A fierce fire erupted on Olympia Drive in Amherst on Friday night, quickly spreading from a construction site to a five-story apartment complex housing approximately 230 residents. Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly 24 hours before bringing it under control.

Firefighting Efforts and Damage

The fire was first reported at 8:19 p.m. Friday. Crews from around the region responded and worked through most of Saturday to contain the flames. Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren confirmed the fire was under control around 7 p.m. Saturday.

“Fire crews were not able to enter the unstable building and were expected to continue to extinguish the fire from the exterior while demolition crews tore down the structure,” Stromgren stated in a Saturday night press release.

The demolition work was anticipated to be finished Sunday morning.

Safety and Investigation

No injuries were reported.
The fire is under investigation but is not considered suspicious.

Community Impact and Response

On Saturday afternoon, the town declared a state of emergency and urged residents to curb nonessential water usage to conserve supplies for firefighting efforts. Officials reported that over 1 million gallons of water had been used as of 6 p.m. Saturday.

Author's Summary: A large fire in Amherst displaced 230 people and destroyed a complex, with firefighters battling the blaze for nearly a day and the community conserving water amid a declared emergency.

Daily Hampshire Gazette — 2025-11-08