Dozens displaced after fire on South Bridge Street in Holyoke

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- We’re continuing to follow breaking news out of Holyoke where more than two dozen people are without a home after a fire broke out in an apartment building shortly before six this morning.

It’s a story Western Mass News has been following all day.

Crews have been on South Bridge Street for hours putting out the remainder of the fire. We spoke with one person who lives nearby who told us what she woke up to this morning.

Fire investigators in Holyoke tell us about 25 people, including multiple families in Holyoke are displaced from their homes following a devastating fire that tore through a residential building Friday morning.

“This morning at 5:51 crews were alerted to a working fire at this address 561 South Bridge Street, " says Captain Dave Rex with the Holyoke Fire Department.

This was the scene when our Western Mass News crew arrived around 6 a.m. - where you can see heavy smoke and several firefighters spraying the building with water from multiple angles.

Captain Rex sharing with us what fire crews arrived to.

“Upon arrival crews had fire showing from the windows they made an initial primary attack did a quick primary search at this time we have no injuries, tenants are accounted for. Bulk of the fire was actually coming up the three front windows over the front door,” he notes.

Captain Rex tells Western Mass News that all people displaced are being assisted by the Red cross. One woman who lives nearby tells us she woke up to the smell of smoke.

“I woke up this morning felt kind of hard to breathe, maybe it was 6:30, and it smelt between a bad smell and the basement,” Sonia Lopez told us. She lives in Holyoke.

Captain Rex also says there are now concerns of the building collapsing given the extent of the damage.

“When we lose the roof of a building like this you never know these buildings are older, we don’t know the maintenance that was done on it so there’s a potential that the walls will Bulge out and come down on us.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Now, there are community wide efforts underway to help assist the dozens of people who lost their home.

Donations are being accepted at:

Providence Ministries, Enlace de Familias and Nueva Esperanza — monetary as well as supplies. There is an urgent need for baby formula, particularly Blue Similac and Advance Similac Formula, as well as baby bottles. They are also in need are diapers, wipes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, hairbrushes, hair ties and deodorant. Also, women’s summer shoes (size 5) and sandals (size 8), men’s and women’s underwear (S, M, L and XL), Tylenol, Ibuprofen and Aleve, cell phone charge cables 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 413-313-878.

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