SUNDERLAND — A person suffering from smoke inhalation was taken to the hospital Wednesday evening after fire broke out at Cliffside Apartments, 248 Amherst Road.
Sunderland Fire Capt. Michael Zeoli said the fire was reported around 6:30 p.m., and firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from building M.
Firefighters from several neighboring towns responded to the incident. They smashed a front window, entered with charged hoselines, and quickly knocked down the flames. Thirty minutes later, thin black smoke could be seen drifting out of a third-story window. Zeoli said one person was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Firefighters could be seen carrying a few pet rats, a cat, and a small dog from the units. None of the animals was harmed, despite heavy smoke damage inside.
It’s not clear how many, if any, residents were displaced. The origin and cause of the fire are still under investigation.
“A lot of times we have to cut a hole in the roof to let gases out,” Zeoli said, looking up South Deerfield’s extended ladder truck. At the top, firefighters watched the roof for flareups. Some of the shingles were burned black.
By 7:20 p.m., firefighters had begun cleaning up, carrying in tarps to protect furniture and fans to clear smoke.
Responding fire departments included Sunderland, Amherst, Montague Center, Deerfield, South Deerfield, Whately, Conway, Greenfield, Hadley and Leverett.
A representative from Eversource was on hand to cut power, and local police officers strung yellow tape around the scene. South County EMS, and an ambulance from Amherst Fire Department were also on scene.