Media Releases

Fire damages former Amherst pawn shop

A former Amherst pawn shop was damaged and a van inside the building was destroyed by fire on Thursday, April 7, 2022.

“We received the alarm at 8:59 a.m. from dispatch of a working structure fire at 15 Crescent Ave., the former Crescent Avenue Sales and Trading building,” said Fire Capt. John Matthews, spokesman for the Amherst Fire Department.

 “When we arrived on scene at 9:01 a.m., we found smoke coming from the eaves.”

When firefighters opened a door into the building, “we found a van inside that was on fire,” Matthews added.

Firefighters quickly poured a wetting agent onto the burning vehicle as others pulled what was in the back out of the van. This material was also doused with the wetting agent.

The fire was intense enough that soffit just below the eaves appeared to have melted.

Firefighters also shot the wetting agent up into the eaves and doused the interior walls on the inside of the building. Another crew went onto the roof and sprayed the wetting agent over it to ensure the fire was out.

It took firefighters about 19 minutes to get the situation under control.

The department responded to the structure fire with its full complement of equipment and manpower.

“Fortunately, all of them were not needed due to the quick action of the first firefighters on scene,” Matthews said.

No firefighters were injured, he added.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.