A state of emergency was declared in Amherst, Massachusetts, this weekend following the massive fire that destroyed a building housing more than 200 UMass-Amherst students.
The declaration, which ensures the town has access to any emergency state or federal funds that may be available, was made due to the apartment complex blaze on Olympia Drive, where firefighters remained at the scene more than 24 hours after flames first broke out around 8:15 p.m. Friday.
Amherst Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren says the fire started in a four-story building that was under construction. Within 30 minutes, it collapsed and spread to other buildings.
"This is actually the biggest fire in Amherst I can think of since the mid-80s," Stromgren said. "We tried for about an hour to fight it from the inside but we had some water supply challenges, and it just got up into the attic and ran the length of the building."
The flames continued to burn for more than 24 hours as more than a dozen fire departments from multiple towns from Hampshire, Hamden and Franklin counties worked tirelessly. Firefighters were expected to be on scene through the day Sunday.
Fire officials said there were multiple explosions during the fire, likely from fuel tanks on the construction site, and there was one construction crane that collapsed. Water supply was an issue, fire officials added, and tanker trucks were also requested from numerous communities to help.
Town officials urged residents Saturday to stop all non-essential water use to help conserve water for firefighting operations, as over one million gallons of water had already been used so far. Amherst's town manager rescinded the state of emergency at 5 p.m. Sunday, saying residents could resume regular water use after the town's water reserves had returned to normal.
No injures have been reported, thankfully. The damage, however, was extensive. The building that was under construction -- at 47 Olympic Drive -- collapsed, and the residential apartment building -- at 57 Olympia Drive -- was deemed a total loss, and was being demolished.
It was a really difficult situation for students and their friends as they stood by watching the building get knocked down to the ground. Preliminary estimates are that 232 residents – mostly students at UMass Amherst -- were displaced.
UMass Amherst student Dona Manor told NBC10 Boston that she smelled something but didn't think much of it until she got a knock on her door. She says the most important thing is that everyone got out.
Another student was upset by everything she lost in the fire.
"It’s sad because all of my stuff was inside and it was just me and my roommate who are like really close so all our college life is in there," she said.
Other students who live close by are applauding the fire crews for keeping everyone safe.
"I'm really thankful that I thank God that no one got hurt really I'm very thankful," said Ahmad Kiswani.
The associate vice chancellor and dean of students sent a message to the campus community, acknowledging what a difficult time this is, with more challenges ahead as they support those affected by the Olympia Place fire.
"We are deeply grateful and relieved that there were no known injuries to our students, first responders, or other members of our community. However, we recognize that the impact of this fire will continue to unfold over the coming days and weeks," Patricia Cardoso-Erase wrote, noting that the university's emergency operations team established an emergency resource center to address the immediate needs of students affected by the fire.
The Dean of Students Office will continue individual outreach to any students who have not checked in at the emergency resource center, and will assess their needs going forward, according to Cardoso-Erase.
"We are grateful that the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and representatives from Olympia Place’s management company joined us on campus to help our students," Cardoso-Erase added. "We are grateful for the outpouring of support for the students who have been impacted...Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and care for one another during this difficult time."
Cardoso-Erase says the best way at this time for the community to help those affected by this fire is contributing to or sharing the Dean of Students Student Care and Emergency Response Fund, which collects and distributes financial support for students with emergency needs.
"Please be cautious of donation or collection drives that are not organized by the university," Cardoso-Erase warned. "While these efforts are often well-intentioned, we cannot verify their legitimacy."
Town officials are asking that physical donations not be brought to campus at this time. Anyone who wants to offer support for temporary or longer-term house is asked to contact Amherst Innovative Living, LLC, at 413-992-2000.
There's been no word on the cause of the fire at this time. State Fire Marshall investigators were on scene this weekend.