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Minivan catches fire in UMass Medical parking garage, 10 cars damaged

WORCESTER, Mass. — The Worcester Fire Department is battling a multi-car fire inside a parking garage at the UMass Medical University campus.

The UMass Medical School tweeted that a parked car caught on fire in the South Road garage. Officials say a minivan caught on fire in the garage and ten cars have been damaged.

Hundreds had to be evacuated from the Ambulatory Care Center, which is attached to the garage.

"It was a difficult process to get everyone out, everyone was unsure what was going on, people wanted to go to their cars. It was a lot of chaos," said UMass Memorial Operations Engineer Bob Vig.

Getting water onto the growing fire was a logistical challenge for fire crews, who pulled lines up over the roof, into the lobby and through a door.

"We can't get any of our equipment in there, everything has to be pumped through trucks," said District Fire Chief Michael Lavoie.

Even after firefighters extinguished the flames, the holding pattern continued for hours for those who had parked in the garage. Drivers were finally able to pick up their cars from the garage as of 8:30 p.m.

The fire chief says the fire does not seem suspicious. There were no injuries.

The fire marshal's office is expected to return to the scene in the morning to pick up the investigation.