UMass Apartments Demolished After Fire

Late Friday, a fire destroyed an off-campus apartment complex near the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (UMass), prompting the Town of Amherst to declare a State of Emergency and leaving 232 UMass students without permanent housing.

According to the Amherst Fire Department (AFD), the fire was first reported at 8:19 p.m. on Friday at a now-collapsed construction site at 47 Olympia Drive. The fire then spread to the nearby apartment at 57 Olympia Drive, also known as Olympia Place, an off-campus apartment complex for UMass students. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

“During the fire, there were multiple explosions, likely from fuel tanks on the construction site, and there was one construction crane that collapsed,” AFD stated in a press release early Saturday morning. 

AFD and fire departments from Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin County first attempted to extinguish the fire from inside the building, but the building quickly became too unstable. Additionally, their efforts were hindered by the poor water pressure in the area. “With floors beginning to collapse, conditions were too dangerous for anyone to enter, including firefighters,” Town Manager Tom Bockelman said in a Sunday press release. 

Parts of the building continued to burn on Saturday evening and some have collapsed. AFD concluded that demolition of the complex was the most effective way to completely extinguish the fire. Both buildings were deemed a total loss, with no current estimate of the monetary value of the loss.

Bockelman declared a State of Emergency for the Town of Amherst on Saturday, urging residents to “stop all non-essential water use to help conserve water for firefighting operations,” citing that 1 million gallons of water had been used so far in the extinguishing effort.  The state of emergency declaration allows the Town to access emergency federal funds for displaced residents and property owners.

Pockets of fire continued to burn at Olympia Place until Sunday afternoon. In an update on Sunday evening, Amherst officials announced that the fire was under control, with the apartment building fully demolished and firefighters working to monitor and extinguish any remaining isolated flames. Bockelman rescinded the State of Emergency at 5 p.m. on Sunday, declaring that “residents may resume regular water use as the town’s water reserves have returned to normal.”

“There have been no reported injuries or loss of human life,” Bockelman wrote in his Sunday press release. He also commended departments from nearby towns that assisted AFD’s efforts, stating that “their dedication, cooperation, and swift response were vital in managing this challenging situation.” 

With displaced students deprived of all their personal belongings, UMass set up an on-campus emergency resource center on Saturday, where the Red Cross and the Salvation Army are assisting with basic food, clothing, and medicine needs. Displaced students were given free access to dining halls, and those who could not find emergency housing were provided with temporary on-campus accommodations.

“On Saturday, when I spent time with Olympia Place residents and their families at the Emergency Resource Center, it was clear just how profound the financial, academic, and emotional toll of this fire has been,” Chancellor Javier Reyes wrote in a letter to the UMass community on Monday. “If you are an Olympia Place resident, know that you will not be alone in your recovery—our entire campus community stands with you.”