Overview
- Fire ignited Friday night in a building under construction at Olympia Place on Olympia Drive and spread to nearby apartments.
- Officials reported several explosions likely tied to construction fuel tanks, and a crane and parts of the site collapsed.
- No injuries have been reported, but more than 230 people were forced from their homes, including many UMass Amherst students.
- Residents were asked to halt non‑essential water use after firefighters used over one million gallons and encountered low pressure.
- The blaze was largely contained with exterior operations as demolition crews opened access to hotspots and state and local authorities investigated the cause.