Overview
- Flames ignited at a building under construction at the Olympia Place complex around 8:19 p.m. and spread to multiple structures, officials said.
- The incident reached a third alarm, drawing mutual-aid crews from surrounding towns as responders confronted low water pressure.
- Fire officials reported multiple explosions likely tied to construction-site fuel tanks, and a crane collapsed during the blaze.
- One adjacent apartment building that housed many student renters was destroyed, yet no injuries were reported.
- UMass Amherst, the town and the property manager are coordinating support for displaced residents as crews finish extinguishing hotspots.