State police units -- including K-9 and tactical units -- were staging on Center Street and nearby Fox Hill Road Wednesday afternoon.
» An updated story has been posted
UPDATE, 7:32 p.m.: An ambulance, escorted by a Massachusetts State Police cruiser, has just rushed from the scene.
UPDATE, 7:25 p.m.: From The Republican's Patrick Johnson on the scene: Just after 7 p.m., food and water was brought into the woods. Soon after that, the press was pushed back, and an ambulance arrived. Suddenly, there was the sound of multiple gunshots, and all police personnel ran into the woods. The ambulance went into the woods, about 100 yards behind the house.
UPDATE, 7:20 p.m.: Police are reporting shots fires, the suspect is injured and they're calling for an ambulance.
UPDATE, 5:29 p.m.: Police are escorting people to their houses and telling them to stay inside while State Police continue negotiations with Stuart.
UPDATE, 5:15 p.m.: Police sources have confirmed that the armed suspect in the standoff is retired Springfield police officer George Stuart. Negotiations are ongoing.
UPDATE, 4:50 p.m.: Police scanner reports indicate that officials are getting ready to reopen Center Street to through traffic, but posting officers at the Center Street residence to prevent gawkers from stopping and looking.
Updates a story posted at 10:53 a.m. Wednesday.
LUDLOW — A standoff with an armed suspect is in progress after firefighters responded to a blaze at a Center Street residence Wednesday morning.
The fire, reported around 10:45 a.m., "fully engulfed" a building at the property, a town dispatcher said. Reporters at the scene say the fire consumed a garage at 795 Center St.
The home at that address is owned by George W. and Rena J. Stuart, an employee at the Ludlow assessor's office said Wednesday.
George Stuart, 71, is a retired Springfield police officer who once taught marksmanship to other officers. Police officials could not immediately confirm that Stuart is the suspect involved in the standoff.
Stuart, who spent 30 years on the Springfield force retired in 1997 as a sergeant. Twice he won competition as the state's top combat police marksman of the year. He runs a security alarm installation business at his Ludlow home.
Police and fire radio communications that followed the initial fire call indicate that officers have been in contact with an armed suspect at the scene.
Neighbors on both Center Street and nearby Fox Hill Road said they were shocked that the incident would happen in their neighborhood.
"You never know what can happen anywhere, but it's pretty quiet out here," said David Rey of Center Street.
Other neighbors said the suspect was going through a divorce and had been living alone in the home for several weeks. "He was a nice man. We never had any problems," one neighbor said, describing the house as well-maintained, with a fish pond in backyard. "I never thought that things were this bad for him. This is shocking me."
The neighbor continued: "I hope that this comes out even, and that nothing happens to him. That he comes out and surrenders and get what he needs. He was a good neighbor."
Center Street is closed at the Rood Street junction, at Randall's Farm. Wilbraham police are assisting with traffic control. A state police helicopter is in the air overhead.
State police units -- including K-9 and tactical units -- were staging on Center Street and nearby Fox Hill Road Wednesday afternoon. A tactical unit from the Springfield police department is also at the scene.
The fire was reported shortly before 10:45 a.m. Wednesday.