Overview
- The blaze began at a construction site at 47 Olympia Drive and spread to Olympia Place at 57 Olympia Drive in high winds, with reported fuel-tank explosions and a crane collapse.
- Roughly 232 residents were forced out—the largest displacement in Amherst Fire Department history—and nearly all were UMass students.
- The response drew mutual aid from numerous towns and used more than 1 million gallons of water after interior firefighting became unsafe, as crews worked to protect lives and nearby buildings.
- No human injuries were reported; some pets were rescued and others were lost, according to town officials.
- The cause remains under investigation by state and local authorities, who said it is not believed to be suspicious.