Overview
- The blaze began Friday night in a four-story building under construction at 47 Olympia Drive and spread to the adjacent 57 Olympia Drive apartment building that housed many UMass Amherst students.
- Fire officials reported several explosions likely tied to construction fuel tanks and confirmed a crane collapse as the under-construction structure gave way.
- Both buildings were declared total losses, with 57 Olympia Drive demolished to reach hot spots; the fire is contained and the area is being fenced off and secured.
- A multi-alarm, mutual-aid response was complicated by low water pressure, prompting tanker support and use of more than one million gallons before supplies returned to normal.
- About 230 residents remain displaced as the Red Cross and UMass coordinate housing, counseling and financial aid, and state fire investigators continue to probe the cause; no injuries were reported, though some pets are missing.