HOLYOKE ― Flames tore through a Holyoke apartment building Tuesday, displacing about 60 families on top of 35 others that escaped a massive fire the day before.
The Tuesday morning fire at 733 High/27 Franklin streets and the blaze Monday at 131 Roberto Clemente St. also each displaced about a dozen pets from their homes.
Buildings at 127 and 121 Clemente St. also sustained water damage, according to a statement issued by Holyoke Public Schools. The statement said the fire Monday started in the basement and spread to the roof.
Officials say the burned buildings are unlivable, and the push is on to secure housing for the affected residents, said Jeffrey Trask, the city emergency management director.
The agency Enlace de Familias has raised thousands in donations for hotel stays, while schools and shelters work to meet urgent needs like clothing, toiletries, and emotional support.
A statement on the causes of the two fires will be released once the investigations are complete, officials said.
Emergency management, donations
Trask said it’s hard to know the exact number of displaced families and pets, because some went to shelters and others stayed with relatives.
“Right now, we’re focused on making sure everyone is comfortable and finding temporary or permanent housing,” Trask said.
That could mean hotels, apartments or staying with family. Volunteers and agencies are attending to victims’ food, clothing, medication and mental health support, he said.
Trask said donations are welcome, and that cash is best, because it can equitably pay for hotel rooms and other urgent needs. A secure donation link has been shared online.
This major effort shows how Holyoke comes together to help its own, he said,
“Even small businesses have pitched in with meals for evacuees and volunteers,” Trask said. “I have worked in emergency management for over 20 years now, and it’s the little things that show Holyoke takes care of its own.”
Shelter, community support
Laddy Rua, who chairs the War Memorial building and serves on the Community Emergency Response Team, said the site opened as an emergency shelter Tuesday.
“Having somewhere warm to eat and let kids play is important for their mental and physical health,” Rua said.
She estimated 200 to 250 people came through the warming shelter during the morning. Volunteers set up areas for families with pets and quiet spaces for babies.
Aid workers offered comfort, guidance and basic needs, like food and hygiene items, Rua said.
“People need a helping hand and a smiling face,” she said.
City leaders plead for help
Ward 1 City Councilor Jenny Rivera went live on social media Tuesday as firefighters battled the second major blaze.
Rivera described thick smoke along Franklin Street and said that many families, including children, had nowhere to go as Tuesday’s snow approached.
She urged people to donate so families can stay in hotels.
“If everyone can give at least $5, we can get these families somewhere warm,” Rivera said.
In addition to money, donations of clothes are being collected at Enlace de Familias, where staff also are helping families apply for housing; Rivera serves as the agency’s director of operations.
City Council President Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, who helped register families displaced by the fires, said it was emotional to watch people reunite with their pets after the blazes.
The city recently had begun revitalizing housing in the area — only to see those gains wiped out by the blazes, she noted.
“It’s devastating,” Murphy-Romboletti said.
An animal control officer confirmed about 11 pets, including dogs, cats, rats and birds, were displaced in Tuesday’s fire, and some animals are still missing. About a dozen were displaced the day before on Clemente Street.
Enlace de Familias fundraiser
Frank Martinez Lopez, the executive director of Enlace de Familias, said the group has raised about $15,000 so far to help families displaced by the fires.
“Last night, we put people in hotels, because shelters didn’t feel right after everything they’ve been through,” Martinez Lopez said.
Today, staff worked to secure permanent housing and help families apply for benefits, such as SNAP. Families also will get help from the agency with first and last month’s rent and security deposits, as well as other resources, he said.
Many evacuees have pets, and some are pregnant or expecting babies soon, so donations of baby formula, diapers, clothing and toys are needed, too, he said.
“Any monetary donation helps,” he said, noting that all funds go directly to families, often as gift cards.
Volunteers are still needed, and updates on items and sizes will be posted on Facebook.
Schools, Red Cross step in
Interim Superintendent of Schools Anthony Soto said schools are focused on connecting displaced families to resources.
He said Enlace de Familias is handling the primary fundraising, and the district has emailed families about ways to connect with the agency and how they can help.
Staff worked throughout the day contacting parents to make sure their kids were dropped off at safe locations.
“We don’t want to bring kids to buildings they can’t enter,” Soto said.
Counselors and family engagement coordinators will continue checking in with students and offering emotional support, too, Soto said.
Schools also are helping with basic needs, like clothing and toiletries, and arranging transportation until families find permanent housing.
Soto said at least 26 students were affected by the fires, and that number might grow as more families report being displaced.
“Our goal is to talk to families, figure out what they need and connect them to the right support,” he said. He added that culinary students wanted to help, too.
“They created 100 wraps, and they were really excited to do this, because they felt like they were giving back and helping people who needed it,” he said.
Volunteers with the Red Cross of Massachusetts also responded to the two large fires in Holyoke.
The organization is asking for volunteers and donations to continue its work. For details on volunteering or donating, visit redcross.org.
