Len Emery photo
Fire crews attend to the burned-out shell of an apartment building in Springfield Monday.
SPRINGFIELD - A fire in downtown Springfield early Monday morning left
seven families homeless.
The fire at 84 Valley Street was discovered around 2 a.m.
One person was reported to have minor injuries escaping the fire, which
was a large apartment building across from Precision Valley Pools. Fire crews from seven area towns helped battle the blaze. The Red Cross is on the scene and is helping residents of five of the seven apartments, including one family with five children, all under the age of 10.
Emergency assistance for lodging and food and clothing is being provided, the Red Cross said.
A spokesman at the Springfield Fire Department said crews were still at the scene, but that the fire was out.