GETZVILLE, N.Y. — Crews spent several hours battling a fire in Amherst Sunday night as flames spread through the Hopkins Court Apartments.
Fire officials say the blaze started on a second-floor balcony and spread into an apartment and up into the attic of the building.
One person was rescued from the apartment building with several people treated for minor injuries.
Two of those residents were taken to the hospital to get checked out.
The neighborhood directly behind the building watched and worried as flames rose above the Hopkins Court Apartments.
“It was unbelievable, there was flames flying into the air, and it seemed to be quickly spreading to the sides,” Rob Vanderwerf said. “They were probably going at least 15 feet above the roof of the building at one point.”
“I saw the flames through my window in that apartment complex right behind me, that’s when I realized it was not good,” said Mukund Seshadri.
Vanderwerf and Seshadri could see the blaze from their homes and spent New Year’s Eve concerned about their elderly neighbors.
“My heart really sank, and I hope everybody is okay,” Seshadri said.
“There were huge flames, I thought the whole building was going to go up at that point,” Vanderwerf said.
Fire Crews from the Getzville Fire Company arrived on the scene around 5:30 p.m.
Several residents called 911 reporting a fire on the second floor had extended into an apartment with people still inside.
“Some victims were on the second floor screaming for help,” said Getzville Fire Chief Daric Will. “A lot of them were in wheelchairs as well.”
As of 1 a.m., residents were allowed to return to the apartments that were untouched by the fire and water.
“Three units had severe [fire] damage and some others with water damage,” Chief Will said.
Will said that roughly 10-15 people have been placed in local hotels, while cleanup continues.
The fire caused roughly $650,000 in damage, $400,000 to the structure of the building and $250,000 to the contents inside.
Firefighters from eight different local departments were able to respond on the holiday and keep the blaze from spreading further.
“It’s a great thing that we have members of our community that are willing to set aside special times like New Year’s Eve and other holidays with their families,” said Getzville Fire Compan PIO David Morales. “But, they’re going out to serve their neighbors.”
