Press Release from The Town of Amherst , November 8 at 5:45 PM 

Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman declared a State of Emergency due to the ongoing fires on Olympia Drive. Residents are urged to stop all non-essential water use to help conserve water for firefighting operations. Over one million gallons of water have been used so far in these efforts, and it will take some days to recover the Town’s water levels. The State of Emergency will ensure the Town will have access to any emergency state or Federal funds that may be available to the displaced residents, property owner, and Town. 

FIRE UPDATE  

At this time, the Amherst Fire Department and mutual aid partners are still on scene on Olympia Drive. The fire involves a building under construction at 47 Olympia Drive that collapsed and a residential building at 57 Olympia Drive. The apartment building at 57 Olympia Drive is currently being demolished. Fire crews will continue supporting fire suppression efforts as parts of the building are still burning. Firefighters will remain on scene through the night, marking over 24 hours of ongoing operation.  

We are grateful that no injuries have been reported. Preliminary estimates are that 232 residents – mostly students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst – are displaced from the building at 57 Olympia Drive. The property owner has been cooperative and highly responsive. UMass Amherst is providing assistance and support to the displaced residents. 

The building at 57 Olympia Drive, also known as Olympia Place, is deemed a total loss and is being demolished. There is no entry available to residents. 

The fire was originally reported at 8:18 p.m. Friday evening by callers to the Town’s Emergency Communications Center (911) reporting that the building under construction was on fire. Amherst Police officers assisted in evacuating the occupied building at 57 Olympia Drive. First arriving units from the Amherst Fire Department found the building that was under construction fully involved in fire, with fire spreading to the nearby buildings. During the fire there were multiple explosions, likely from fuel tanks on the construction site, and there was at least one construction crane that collapsed. 

A second and third alarm were sounded for mutual aid. Multiple towns from Hampshire, Hamden, Worcester, and Franklin counties responded to the fire. Tanker trucks were also requested from numerous communities to help boost the water supply.  

The Amherst Fire Department, Amherst Police Department, Department of Public Works Water and Wastewater Divisions, and the Inspection Services Department all responded and stayed on scene. Additional dispatchers were called in to handle the volume of calls and numerous requests for mutual aid. 

The Red Cross, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the State Fire Marshall investigators also responded.  

A Task Force was requested from the State fire mobilization network to send additional units to the fire scene to relieve the crews that had been on scene since the fire was first reported. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

HOW TO HELP

• Please stay clear of the area and follow emergency services instructions.  
• Reduce your use of water and stop all non-essential water use to help conserve water for firefighting operations. 
• To help the displaced residents financially, please donate to the Student Care and Emergency Response Fund which goes towards supporting students with emergency needs. At this time, we are requesting that physical donations not be brought to campus; service agencies are providing support to those in need. 
• Find more information about the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s response to the fire at Olympia Drive including statements, updates, and resource links at https://www.umass.edu/news/olympia-drive-fire-response   
• To offer support for temporary or longer term housing, contact Amherst Innovative Living at 413-992-2000.