A fire at a West Street apartment building in Northampton forced a closure of West Street from Green Street to Elm Street early Saturday evening.
A fire at a West Street apartment building in Northampton forced a closure of West Street from Green Street to Elm Street early Saturday evening. Credit: Gazette Staff/Carol Lollis

NORTHAMPTON — A fire at a West Street apartment building displaced six people Saturday night.

Northampton Police and Fire Departments were called to 10 West St. just before 5 p.m. for a report of smoke in the four-unit apartment building. Only one tenant was home at the time of the fire, according to Det. Jared LaValle. 

When emergency responders arrived on scene they found a fire in one of the building’s units. It took firefighters about 10 minutes to put out the fire, LaValle said. The cause of the fire was not deemed suspicious and appeared to be an electrical fire. No one was injured.

The apartment where the fire occurred as well as a second unit sustained smoke and water damage, LaValle said. Two front units were untouched, according to the detective. The residents in the apartment where the fire occurred were not home at the time. All were unable to return that evening and the Red Cross was called in to assist, LaValle said.

The street was closed between Green Street and Elm Street for a portion of Saturday night as crews worked to put out the fire.

Northampton firefighters responded to the blaze, aided by units from Easthampton and Amherst, according to a Northampton Police Department spokesperson.

According to Fireground360, a first-responder twitter community, firefighters had the fire under control at 5:13 p.m. Saturday.

However, water flowing down West Street toward Main Street, coupled with 30 degree temperatures, prompted a call to the Department of Public Works. Roads in the area were sanded and salted to prevent an icy situation on the road.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 11:45 a.m. on Nov. 12.