WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA - An early morning fire in the Merrick section of this city destroyed a three-story, six-family apartment house, displaced several residents and kept West Springfield firefighters on scene for over 10 hours on Wednesday, March 29th.

Shortly before 4:00 A.M., West Springfield firefighters were toned out to the address of 81 Fairview Ave. for a reported structure fire and companies had smoke and fire visible in the sky over Fairview Ave. before they even entered the block. A second-alarm was struck just after 4:00 A.M., bringing all remaining WSFD apparatus to the scene and mutual aid from Springfield and Agawam for citywide coverage, but with the fire already in possession of the entire three-story structure, the only option available to companies on scene was a defensive attack and exposure protection for the simliarly constructed homes on the 'Bravo' and 'Delta' sides.

Crews set up Ladder 1's aerial master stream, multiple large and small caliber handlines off Engine 1, as well as Engine 1's deck gun, and played away into all floors of the building. The bulk of the fire was knocked down by 7:00 A.M., but companies remained on scene through the day Wednesday chasing hot spots and overhauling what was left of the building while investigators with the WSFD Fire Investigation Unit and the Sate Fire Marshal's Office combed through the debris to determine cause and origin. None of the residents were injured and were assisted by the Rred Cross.