On Wednesday night, the Amherst Fire Department responded to a fire that broke out on Observatory Road near the Orchard Hill Residential Area at the University of Massachusetts.
According to Captain David Martell of the AFD, the fire was reported to have started from a bonfire, and eventually grew to a 20-by-50-foot area after being picked up by the wind. There is no information on the reporting party who called in the incident.
Two fire engines arrived at the scene just after 11 p.m. – Fire Engine 2, which was on duty that night, and Fire Engine 3, the UMass student firefighters. The crew quickly put out and contained the fire.
No damages were reported, besides a tree that was downed. Firefighters cut down a number of other trees in the surrounding are that had been burned by the fire, and the engines left the scene just after midnight.
News and Media Relations were also contacted, but no other information is currently available at this time.
This story will be updated as more information is released.
Irina Costache can be reached at [email protected].
Dr. Ed • Apr 4, 2019 at 1:37 pm
While I can’t help but wonder what kind of idiot thought it was a good idea to light a bonfire in a howling gale, this is the consequence of banning all bonfires — there no longer are the University-sponsored ones and fraternity-sponsored ones, so kids go light them in the woods. And this is what happens — they were lucky they didn’t wind up lighting a full-fledged forest fire.