HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP)- Firefighters in Holyoke have put out a fire at a multi-story apartment building Friday morning.
The building is located on South Bridge Street, near the intersection of Hamilton Street, in the South Holyoke neighborhood of the city. Smoke from the fire could be seen from as far away as I-391 in Chicopee.
The fire was first reported around 5:30 a.m. Friday morning, crews arriving to the area could immediately see fire coming out of the three windows of the front door. There has been a partial collapse of the roof on the rear part of the building.
When asked about the potential chance for a collapse of the building, Holyoke Fire Captain Dave Rex told 22News, “At this point, when we lose the roof of a building like this, you never know. They’re older, we don’t know the maintenance done on them, so there’s the potential the walls will bulge out and come down on us.”
No injuries were reported and Rex said all tenants have been accounted for. According to the City of Holyoke, 25 residents will be without a home. The Red Cross is assisting the families who were forced out of the home with just the clothes they were wearing. Several people lost their pets and belongings to the fire. The building owner has paid for the residents to be put in a hotel for the time being.
“It’s devastating. I was shaken up when I got the phone call,” said Brenda Lamagdeline from Providence Ministries. “We’ll help them with clothes and if we gather them around, we’ll bring them to Kate’s Kitchen. We’ll give them a meal and then I stay with them until they get an apartment.”
Providence Ministries, Enlace de Familias and Nueva Esperanza are accepting donations and supplies to help the families that lost their home. Items needed are:
- Baby formula, particularly Blue Similac and Advance Similac Formula
- Diapers and wipes
- Toothpaste and toothbrushes
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Hair brushes and hair ties
- Deodorant
- Women’s shoes (size 5) and sandales (size 8)
- Men and women underwear
- Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Aleve
- Cell phone chargers and batteries
To donate, call Ward 1 City Councilor Jenny Rivera at Enlace de Familias, 299 Main Street, 413-437-3210 or Enlace Director Frank Martinez at 413-313-8788; or call Nueva Esperanza, 401 Main Street, at 413-437-7666; or Providence Ministries at 51 Hamilton Street, 413-536-9109.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. The Holyoke Fire Department, Police Department and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshalls Office are investigating the fire.