Holyoke fires 16 hours apart leave 50 families without a home

HOLYOKE — Two massive fires broke out within a 16-hour period between Monday night and Tuesday morning, displacing a combined total of nearly 50 families and wiping out two, four-story apartment buildings that were both constructed in the early 1900s.

The cause of both fires have yet to be identified, and no civilian or firefighter injuries have been reported, according to Capt. David Rex of the Holyoke Fire Department. However, several pets have been reported missing and several others were saved by firefighters.

At 8:15 a.m. Tuesday morning, fire alarms went off at 733 High St. The alarms continued to chirp throughout the morning and into the early afternoon as a couple dozen firefighters from Holyoke, Westfield and Westover Air Force Reserve Base fire departments tried to thwart the blazing inferno that only got worse throughout the morning, forcing neighboring blocks to be evacuated.

After two hours of response, flames continued to flare up on the roof and smoke billowed out of the windows. Continuous water pressure began to chew at the building as bricks fell and formed mounds on the sidewalk at the intersection of High and Franklin streets.

A few hours into the fire, firefighter Brad Langston of the Westover ARB Fire Department said that a “defensive strategy” was put in place, and neighboring structures were doused with water to prevent the fire from spreading. Meanwhile, firefighters continued to dampen the flames of the four-story structure throughout the day.

By 11 a.m., High Street was engulfed in a black cloud as smoke raged out of the building, and by 3 p.m. the fire was mostly out while firefighters continued to monitor for hot spots.

The High Street fire started about 16 hours after another four-story apartment building caught fire on Monday at about 4 p.m. at 131 Clemente St. Fire officials believe this blaze started in the basement and spread to the roof.

Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, who chairs the City Council and was on site to assist those impacted by the fires, said “I just did intake for at least 30 families … and last night was around 18 families.” She went on to say that after Monday night’s fire everyone who was impacted had a place to stay, whether in a hotel or various other locations in the city.

Many of the displaced residents took shelter at William G. Morgan Elementary School on Monday afternoon and evening, where school staff and community agencies provided meals and shelter.

Mayor Joshua Garcia said the response by the city and collaborating agencies was “second to none” in a Facebook post following Monday’s fire.

“Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of this community, including an outpouring of monetary donations that came in within hours, every single family affected by the fire had a safe, warm place to stay last night,” he said. “Short-term occupancy arrangements were secured, immediate needs were met, and no one was left without shelter. This is Holyoke at its very best, and I am incredibly grateful to every resident, business, and neighbor who stepped up.

The 30 families displaced by Tuesday’s fire were temporarily brought to the first floor of the Holyoke Housing Authority at 475 Maple St., just a block or two away from the blazing apartment block on High Street. Some people cried, others tried to corral their dogs from fighting other dogs, and almost everyone in the room was making phone calls.

Water, coffee and donuts were available as blankets and other resources were distributed before people were brought to the Holyoke War Memorial Building on Appleton Street.

“We heard that it might have been a cooking fire,” said Ian Row, who was able to spare his dog and two albino rats from the fire and was in a holding pattern at the Holyoke Housing Authority. “We’re just grateful we have insurance for an apartment so everything that gets destroyed we can pay for.”

Property Manager Zayda Santiago, who was wrapped in a blanket as she watched the fire consume the apartment block, said that, “All we know is that it broke out on the first floor where an elderly lady lives … We’re trying to take care of our tenants and make sure they feel some holiday cheer.”

People from neighboring apartments also had to evacuate, among them Peter Chen. He has lived in the block at 731 High St. for the past five years and had to evacuate and take shelter at the Holyoke Housing Authority.

“I woke up and heard people saying, ‘fire,’ and then I came outside and the building’s literally ablaze,” said Chen, while a woman next to him expressed how thankful she was that her daughter was currently staying with her grandmother.

“I actually just got home at around 8:15 a.m. and then the alarms started going on,” said Felix Torres, who lives in an adjacent apartment block at 729 High St.

Murphy-Rombolleti said that monetary donations are most necessary right now, which can be made to Enlace de Familias.