Home About Archives RSS Feed

Williamstown Home Burns After Car Crash

Andy McKeever

 

Update: May 17, 2011 at 3:27 p.m.: Police reported Tuesday that Tatro will be charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, his second offense, operating to endanger, marked lanes violation and wanton injury to personal property or to a dwelling house in connection with the crash.

 

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A car crashed into a Route 7 house late Sunday night and triggered a massive fire, leaving two people homeless.

According to Fire Chief Craig Pedercini, police and fire personnel responded to a call of a car crashing into the house at 780 New Ashford Road at about 10 p.m. Sunday night, and immediately found the vehicle on fire with the driver still inside. The driver was removed in the "nick of time" before the blaze spread to the rest of the structure.

"When the first officer arrived on the scene he found the front end of the car on fire with the driver still in the vehicle," Pedercini said early Monday morning. "We almost had an instant fire here."

According to police, Timothy M. Tatro, 29, of Pittsfield was driving the 2002 Dodge Caravan  southbound on New Ashford Road when he failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway. He left the east side of the road, traveled approximately 178 feet and struck the residence.

Tatro was taken to Berkshire Medical Center and may have suffered burns on his legs, Pedercini said. There were two people inside the house when the crash occured; they both escaped unharmed. No firefighters were injured while extinguishing the blaze.

"They were up and I believe just watching television," Pedercini said. "There was fuel from the car that accelerated the fire."

Mutual aid from New Ashford, Hancock, Clarksburg and Pownal, Vt. fire departments were called in. The fire was controlled shortly after midnight; firefighters remained on the scene for a few more hours to extinguish smoldering debris.

"Most of us left at about 4 or 5 and we had some people here to keep watch," Pedercini said. "There was a lot of fire."

The house is outside of the fire district and tankers had to shuttle water to the scene. The house is a total loss.

The people inside the 1,500 square-foot home were renters. The property is listed as owned by John and Sharon Fleury.

Police Chief Kyle Johnson said the accident was still under investigation.

Tags: Fire, car crash      

Support Local News

We show up at hurricanes, budget meetings, high school games, accidents, fires and community events. We show up at celebrations and tragedies and everything in between. We show up so our readers can learn about pivotal events that affect their communities and their lives.

How important is local news to you? You can support independent, unbiased journalism and help iBerkshires grow for as a little as the cost of a cup of coffee a week.

News Headlines
Pittsfield Super Details Emergency Communication with Families
Weekend Outlook: Bazaars, First Friday and Day of the Dead
Are your heirs ready to receive an inheritance?
Berkshire Organizations Awarded Food Security Infrastructure Grants
MCLA Announces the MountainOne Fund
Greylock Federal Promotes Assistant Vice President, Market Manager
Greylock School Project Moves Into Detailed Design Stage
MCLA Awaits for News on Donor Gift
Lanesborough Select Board Decreases Bailey Road Speed Limit
Pittsfield Licensing Board Says Bar Responded Properly to Melee

Police Logs

Pittsfield Police

North Adams

Crimewatch Links

North Adams CrimeWatch

Stamford/Clarksburg CrimeWatch

Pittsfield CrimeWatch

Emergency: 911
Adams 413-743-1212
Clarksburg 413-663-7795
Cheshire 413-743-1501
Dalton 413-684-0300
Great Barrington 413-528-0306
Lanesborough 413-443-4107
Lee 413-243-2100
Lenox 413-637-2346
North Adams 413-664-4944
Pittsfield 413-448-9700
Richmond 413-698-3315
Stockbridge 413-298-4179
Williamstown 413-458-5733
West Stockbridge 413-232-7938
State Police  
Cheshire Barracks
413-743-
4700
Lee Barracks 413-243-0600
Shaftsbury, Vt., Barracks 802-442-3263

 



Categories:
Adams (92)
Alford (0)
Becket (8)
Cheshire (23)
Clarksburg (41)
Dalton (6)
Egremont (2)
Florida (9)
Great Barrington (34)
Hancock (5)
Hinsdale (5)
Lanesborough (30)
Lee (14)
Lenox (11)
Monterey (0)
Mount Washington (1)
New Ashford (4)
New Marlborough (2)
North Adams (248)
Otis (2)
Peru (3)
Pittsfield (318)
Pownal (16)
Readsboro (17)
Richmond (10)
Sandisfield (5)
Savoy (6)
Sheffield (5)
Stamford (31)
State (1)
Stockbridge (6)
Tyringham (1)
Washington (1)
West Stockbridge (1)
Williamstown (79)
Windsor (3)
Archives:
Tags:
Search Murder Fraud Rape Assaults Fire Homicide Missing Persons Armed Robbery Fatal Search & Rescue Accident Motor Vehicle Veremko Pedestrians Drugs Assault Injuries Heroin Mvi Drug Charges Structure Fire Larceny Vehicle Break-ins Motorcycles Hit & Run Motor Vehicle Accident Buglaries Crime Watch Shooting Police Investigation Robbery Burglary Stabbing
Popular Entries:
Superior Court Briefs: March 14 - March 16
Fatal Accident Closes Route 8 in Adams
Superior Court Briefs: May 2 - May 6
Woman Pleads Guilty in Sandisfield Fatal Crash
Superior Court Briefs: March 28 - March 31
Pittsfield Woman Pleads Guilty in Husband's Slaying
Superior Court Briefs: May 18 - 19
Superior Court Briefs: March 23 - March 24
Superior Court Briefs: March 8 - March 11
New Ashford Crash Turns Fatal for Williamstown Man
Recent Entries:
State Police Bust $3M Illegal Pot Growing Operation in Savoy
First-Responders Searching for Lost Hiker on Mount Greylock
Pittsfield Driver Injured in Elm Street Accident
North Adams Police Investigate Possible Shooting Incident
Williamstown Police Looking into Cemetery Vandalism
Florida Woman Dies in Motorcycle Accident
Pittsfield Fire Responds to Kitchen Blaze
Juvenile Arrested in North Adams Shooting
North Adams Police Seeking Information on Shooting Incident
Pittsfield Police Seek Information on Sunday Night Shootings