Up To 400 Displaced By Fire In Worcester At Plumley Village

WORCESTER, MA — A fire early Thanksgiving morning in the Plumley Village apartment building has displaced up to 400 residents of the Laurel Street high rise.

According to city officials, the fire broke out just after 3:30 a.m. in an electrical room inside an apartment building. No one was injured, and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly — but not before it destroyed the building's entire electrical system.

City officials are now searching for shelter for the 300 to 400 people living in Plumley Village's 120 apartments.

"Our crisis response teams went to work swiftly this morning and are collaborating with partner agencies on housing and resources for the displaced. We ask for privacy for these individuals during this difficult time and in the days ahead," City Manager Eric Batista said in a news release.

Officials said National Grid and the city's Division of Inspectional Services are working to fix the damage, but did not give a timeline for the repairs.

Plumley Village was built in the 1970s between downtown Worcester and I-290. The building is privately owned and operated by the nonprofit Community Builders, Inc., and is primarily for recipients of Section 8 housing vouchers.