Town Manager provies update on Amherst fire that displaced more than 200 people

Fire administrators are still searching for the cause of a massive fire in Amherst last week that left more than people without a place to live and are providing an update on the recovery efforts In a message town leaders explained Words cannot express the appreciation admiration and gratitude for our firefighters and first responders tremendous operation last weekend No disclosed injuries among the residents nor among our staff are a tribute to their priorities and training At about p m on Friday Nov crews responded to a record of a fire at a construction site on Olympia Drive and identified a four-story structure on the sit engulfed in flames The fire spread to the adjacent apartment building and both structures eventually needed to be demolished UMass has organized multiple techniques to donate to help the displaced residents Food donations should be brought to one of the November Food Drive bins located around campus New underwear socks and toiletries can be dropped off at UMass Downtown located at N Pleasant St or the New U store located on campus in Room of the Hampden Commons in the Southwest Residential Area Other material goods including clothing kitchenware and school supplies should be brought to New U To help the displaced residents financially please consider donating to UMass s Apprentice Care and Urgency Response Fund SCERF which helps help students facing exigency necessities