Main Street in North Adams was closed for about a half-hour on Friday evening after a passer-by reported a 'suspicious' package on the bench inside the new bus shelter. After some consultation, firefighters opened the yellow manila shipping package go find a bonnet and scarf inside.
Fire Director Stephen Meranti said emergency services had to take precautions because of the way it was reported. Firefighters and police also responded to a 'suspicious' package last week at Walmart that a shopper had accidently left behind.
New Police Officer Joshua Zustra gets a hug from his grandmother, City Councilor Marie Harpin; left, reserve firefighter Tyler Bolte after the ceremony. Below, Bolte, center, takes the oath with Casey Cooke, left, and Brad Sacco.
Clockwise from above left: Officer Brad Vivori is sworn in; Officer Trevor Manning is pinned by the mayor; Zustra; and reserve Police Officers Jonathan Beaudreau, left, and Nicholas Richards.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council chambers were packed on Tuesday night with family and friends eager to see the city's newest police officers and firefighters sworn in.
Officers Brad Vivori, Trevor Manning and Joshua Zustra were sworn in separately as permanent police officers after serving in a reserve capacity. They were officially sworn in by the mayor on July 11 but it has become the administration's policy to have new officers take the oath publicly from City Clerk Marilyn Gomeau on community television.
Zustra received not only a handshake from the mayor and a hug from Gomeau, a former neighbor, like his colleagues, but also hug from his proud grandmother, City Councilor Marie Harpin.
Also taking the oath were reserve Officers Jonathan Beaudreau and Nicholas Richards, and reserve firefighters Casey Cook, Brad Sacco and Tyler Bolte. Reserve firefighter Collin Boucher was not in attendance.
"I think this is a great community event and I'm glad we do this and I'm glad to see so many friends, family and supporters," said the mayor, quipping, "cops, people hate to see you coming, firefighters, people love to see you coming." But he, added, "we truly respect, we value what you do ... it's a lot of hard work, a lot of training, a lot of effort, a lot of risk.
"My wish to you is to be happy at your job, but to be safe and stay so."
North Adams Firefighters Battle Early Morning Blaze
Above, the entire top floor of 69 Chase Ave. was in flames on Sunday morning. Left, the alleyway between the vacant structure and neighboring home is filled with debris that injured a firefighter running a line to the back of the property.
Update at 5 p.m.:
The firefighter injured in this morning's fire has been treated and released from North Adams Regional Hospital.
Fire Director Stephen Meranti said Firefighter Ray King was running a hose between the burning house at 69 Chase Ave. and the neighboring home when the wall collapsed.
"Ray King was stretching a line to the rear when the top of the rear wall fell and struck him in the head," said Meranti.
King is the firefighter who saved the pet duck from a fire on Hoosac Street earlier this month. He was taken to the hospital by North Adams Ambulance Service.
Firefighters were trying to protect buildings on three sides of the burning building at the time — residences on each side and a barn only yards away in the rear.
The blue house, seen in the photo, suffered some damage to its vinyl siding. Both residences were evacuated while firefighters contained the blaze. Residents across the street said they remained in their homes but were awakened by the smoke and flames.
Meranti said multiple calls were made reporting the fire. The arriving truck on the scene called in all off-duty firefighters to battle the blaze that could be seen roaring through the attic.
"It was well involved," he said. "It had a good jump on us. It went up the rear stairway and into the attic."
The fire is under investigation by North Adams Fire Department and the state fire marshal's office. Electrical has been ruled out as a cause because the building has been vacant for some time and there are no utilities.
The house is listed among 13 North Adams properties owned by William R. Romeo 2004 Revocable Trust on a deed dated 2006. It has been vacant for some time.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Firefighters battled a structure fire early Sunday morning that destroyed a vacant home on Chase Avenue.
The fire was reported at about 5 a.m. The flames could be seen bursting through the roof and a section of the house collapsed. The unoccupied structure was in a close-packed residential area on the north side of the city's downtown.
A firefighter incurred injuries, reportedly minor, at the scene and was taken to North Adams Regional Hospital.
No further information was immediately available.
North Adams Fire Sends One To Hospital
By Tammy Daniels On: 06:36PM / Monday June 18, 2012
A kitten was discovered inside the apartment and given to a neighbor to care for. At left, a washing machine was removed from the unit; authorities believe the fire started near the appliance.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A local woman was taken to the hospital after neighbors helped her escape a fire in her apartment at 4 Isbell St. on Monday evening.
The cause of the smoky blaze is still under investigation but authorities believe it was started by a lamp falling on flammable materials in the bedroom, near a washing machine. The appliance and some material was taken out of the building.
Neighbors said they pounded on the doors and window to alert the occupant, who they identified as Patricia Heller, to the smoke they saw coming from the one-story unit on the end of Isbell Street in the Greylock Valley Apartments. Tabatha Rogers said her sister, Heather Rohane, noticed the commotion and told her there was a fire.
When she looked out, she could see someone yelling at the bathroom window in the house behind hers but at first thought it was a child playing games. Then she saw the smoke.
"She didn't know how to put the locks down. ... She thought I was talking about the regular locks," said Rogers, referring to the child safety locks that prevent the windows from opening all the way. "She was yelling 'help,' somebody please help me out this window."
Rogers said it took three tries, with the apartment's occupant becoming increasingly panicked, of closing the window before she was able to manage the locks and be helped out. "It was filling up with a lot of smoke," Rogers said.
The incident was reported at 5:09 p.m. as a structure fire with persons trapped inside. Fire Director Stephen Meranti said police were first on the scene and found Heller already outside.
The first truck on the scene saw smoke and lights. "They stretched the hand line in and found fire in the bedroom," said Meranti. "Just the contents of the room were burning, it didn't get into the structure at all."
Smoke could still be seen coming from the building about a half-hour later. Three trucks were at the scene along with Fire & Alarm and the North Adams Ambulance Service, which broke out water bottles for the firefighters. A neighbors in the residential development crowded along the sidewalk to watch.
The victim was taken to North Adams Regional Hospital by the North Adams Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation. A dog was already outside and a small gray kitten was found by firefighters inside but didn't seem injured.
Meranti said the apartment was not livable and the health inspector was expected to condemn the apartment. The resident, whom neighbors said was planning to move, had somewhere else to go for the night and the Red Cross was being alerted.
"The Housing authority is here and they're going to get right in there and clean it up," said Meranti.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A Brook Terrace resident is charged with stabbing a 27-year-old man on Saturday.
Mario Babbs, 25, had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf in Northern Berkshire District Court on Monday on single counts of armed assault with intent to murder and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.
Babbs is ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Friday. The victim, Cole DeSanty, was hospitalized at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and is being treated for multiple stab wounds.
According to court documents, DeSanty suffered "life-threatening injuries" including a collapsed lung, which needed to be surgically repaired, and a severed rib. He is also expected to suffer some vision and hearing loss as a result.
Police say DeSanty was found bleeding on Houghton Street shortly before noon on Saturday and was transported to North Adams Regional Hospital. Babbs was also being treated for a lacerated hand, which he told state police he suffered while repairing a car.
Police discovered a bloody 6-inch steak knife and a trail of blood after executing a search warrant at Babbs' Brook Terrace apartment.
DeSanty was later transported to Berkshire Medical Center after state police interviewed both DeSanty and Babbs. Police say DeSanty gave Babbs a ride home on Friday night and on Saturday morning, Babbs called DeSanty saying he left his wallet in the car. DeSanty said he did not have the wallet but drove over to Babbs' home so he could look.
After finding the wallet underneath the seat, Babbs invited DeSanty into his home, police said. Once inside, Babbs allegedly attacked DeSanty with a steak knife claiming DeSanty was stealing from him. DeSanty was able to break away from Babbs, which police say matches Babbs cutting his hand. Police also say the attack was drug related.
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A kitten was discovered inside the apartment and given to a neighbor to care for. At left, a washing machine was removed from the unit; authorities believe the fire started near the appliance.
