Westfield Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Kane said the third-floor blaze at Washington House, an apartment building housing mostly elderly residents, remains under investigation by the state Fire Marshal's Office.
Updates a story published at 7:10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2.
By CONOR BERRY and GEORGE GRAHAM
WESTFIELD — A Monday night fire at a 112-unit apartment building operated by the Westfield Housing Authority displaced dozens of mostly elderly tenants and caused an estimated $800,000 damage, city officials say.
"There was heavy structural damage," deputy fire chief Patrick J. Kane said on Tuesday.
Fire officials said the blaze broke out at around 10 p.m. on Monday on the third floor of the four-story building at 16 Washington St. It prompted the evacuation of roughly 100 tenants.
The building, Washington House, is owned by the Westfield Housing Authority and serviced by Highland Valley Elder Services Inc., of Northampton, according to the state Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
Third-floor residents said there was thick smoke in the hallways. "We were in bed when the alarm went off," said Michael Royland, who lives on the third floor with his girlfriend, Lillian Winn. "We high-tailed it out of there. I had to go back to my room to get a handkerchief and wet it so I could breathe."
"We got out of here in our pajamas, that's it," said Winn, still wearing a blue bathrobe and pink slippers hours later.
"The smoke was so thick that by the time we got to the end of the hallway we had to cover our faces (in the crooks of our arms" said third-floor resident Patricia Guerin.
About 56 units were affected by the fire; 26 sustained severe structural and water damage, said Daniel J. Kelly, executive director of the housing authority. "We're about half in, half out," Kelly said, referring to how many occupants have been able to return to their units and how many have not.
"We are extremely fortunate that we didn't have any casualties," said Mayor Daniel M. Knapik, adding that the damage on the third floor "is unbelievable....Appliances just melted away."
Disaster volunteers from the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross were helping the displaced tenants find temporary lodging. About 20 people spent the night at Central Baptist Church, 115 Elm St., while another half-dozen or so stayed in the damaged building's community center. It was unclear when all tenants might return their units.
"There was heavy smoke coming out and heavy structural damage," Kane said. The heaviest damage happened to units 309 to 314, he said.
According to Kelly, the blaze began in unit 313 before spreading to neighboring apartments. "We really don't even know the origin so far," Kelly said.
Resident Judith Bard, displaced from her unit, said she spent the night in a chair inside the facility's community room. "I am just hoping and praying I have a place to go to tonight," she said.
Royland and Winn said they will likely spend Tuesday night at the Central Baptist Church. "They are very nice over there," Royland said.
State trooper Michael Mazza, who is assigned to the office of state fire marshal Stephen D. Coan, is the lead investigator.
Kane said some tenants were allowed to return to their apartments to retrieve "medications and personal belongings," while others were expected to wait until firefighters could escort them back inside the damaged building.
"The firemen were excellent," said Royland. "They went back and got my medicine for me."
Robert Lees, a first-floor tenant, said he got lucky. "I didn't lose anything, and I'm not in a shelter, so I am quite fortunate," he said.
Lees, at the request of the Red Cross, put up two displaced tenants in his undamaged apartment for the night. "There are good neighbors here; we all get along pretty good," Lees said.