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Lanesborough's Foam House Burns Down

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
A fire completely destroyed the National Street home. At left as seen in a realty advertisement.

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The foam house on National Street  burned to the ground Thursday afternoon.

The seasonal home is somewhat of a local landmark. The foam created a rounded, bubble-like appearance which led many to dub it  "The Flintstone House."

According to Fire Chief Charlie Durfee, firefighters responded to the fully engulfed structure fire shortly after 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The house, a wooden structure encased in foam, was already mostly burnt and the firefighters launched a "surround and drown" attack to prevent the flames from damaging nearby properties.

"I was on Narragansett Street, came around the corner and saw this house fully involved and called in a structure fire," Durfee said. "It's the foam house at the bottom on National Street and was built right around 1972."

The foam fueled the fire and the focus was on protecting nearby properties, Durfee said. The flames were so hot that they dried up leaves wet from the rain and threatened to spread. Pieces of foam flew in the sky and littered nearby properties.

The electric was shut off after the wires caught fire.

Durfee said he immediately called in support from Cheshire and Pittsfield and attacked the fire from both National Street and from Imperial Street — which runs parallel — to put out the flames in about 45 minutes. County Ambulance responded on scene as well.

The building at 45 National St. is used seasonally and no one was there at the time. It is owned by Denise Barrierre of Rhode Island. The small structure had one bedroom and one bath and was about a 1,000 square feet in size.

It was built in the 1970s with foam with a focus on being energy efficient. There were no firefighters injured in the process of knocking down the flames during the heavy rain.

The cause is undetermined after a fire inspector arrived on the scene Thursday afternoon.

     

Pittsfield Police Asking Residents To ID Stolen Property

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police have recovered hundreds of pieces of jewelry and other items that are not matching up with their records of items reported stolen in a recent rash of break-ins.

Anyone who has had their home broken into prior to March 22 is being asked to identify their possessions at an open house on Saturday, June 8, from 10 to 2 at the Police Department on Allen Street.

Police say the items either haven't been reported stolen or were stolen from homes outside of city. The investigation is being done by state, Cheshire, Lanesborough and Pittsfield police. Some of the recovered property has already be linked to break-ins in those communities and in Richmond.

Police have arrested Christopher Maschino Jr., 21, and Anne Haughey, 21, both of Pittsfield, in connection with the break-ins.

Even if the owners of the seized property can identify it, they cannot take possession of their items immediately because they are being held as evidence until released by the district attorney's office.

Attendees are required to bring a valid identification to the open house and are asked to bring any ownership documents.

     

Lanesborough Shed Explodes; Firefighters Prevent Forest Fire

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff

A propane tank exploded inside the shed sparking the fire.

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A shed behind a Potter Mountain home exploded Friday afternoon and nearly spread to a full-blown brush fire.
 
According to the homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, his wife heard a loud bang at about 3 p.m. and moments later flames in the back yard had engulfed the nearby trees. The shed was completely destroyed and fire burned about an acre of land. 
 
"The flames were over the trees," he said.
 
Upon arriving, firefighters immediately called in tanker trucks from Hancock and Richmond to contain the fire from spreading up the Potter Mountain hillside, according to Fire Chief Charlie Durfee.
 
The state Department of Conservation and Recreation was called because of the "Class 4" conditions, meaning there is a high-level risk for brush fires.
 
"We were preventing the fire from spreading to a full-blown brush fire," Durfee said. "It could have taken off and burned 200 acres up the mountain."
 
Firefighters used about 4,000 gallons of water to put out the flames in about 30 minutes. Employees of nearby Sayers Auto Wrecking helped remove brush near the fire.
 
"The cause of the explosion is likely from a 1-pound propane cylinder for a grill," Durfee said, explaining that sometimes the propane expands and blows up the cylinder. 
 
Durfee said that type of explosion doesn't happen often but he was "just thankful the propane was out in the shed and not in the garage."
 
Nobody was injured. The shed housed typical outdoor items like fences and toys. A boat next to the shed was also destroyed.
 
The homeowner said he does have insurance, which will cover the replacement cost. 
 
"I have to give credit to Lanesborough and Richmond. They did a fabulous job," he said. "They knocked it down really quickly."
     

Falling Tree Injures Lanesborough Motorists

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A tree that fell on a pickup truck during Hurricane Sandy sent a local couple to the hospital.

Police said a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup was westbound on Brodie Mountain Road at about 6:46 p.m. when the tree crashed down across the road, crushing the truck's cab.

Lanesborough Police and Fire responded to the scene. The driver sustained serious injuries, primarily to his arm, and the passenger, a woman, suffered cuts from the broken windshield. Both were taken to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield by ambulance and the truck was towed from the scene.

The names of the truck's occupants were not available but they were identified as Lanesborough residents.

The area was buffeted by high winds from Monday into Tuesday from the affects of Sandy as she made landfill in New Jersey. There were numerous reports around the county of trees and power lines down. Lanesborough Police reported that they were busy Monday night responding such incidents.
     

Pittsfield Man Hospitalized After Being Shot By Police

Staff Reports
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A Pittsfield man was shot by police Wednesday afternoon and is in stable condition at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.

According to the district attorney's office, Keith Carnute, 46, of Summit Street in Pittsfield was shot by Lanesborough Officer Timothy Sorrell on Silver Street after Carnute allegedly went after him with a knife.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., police and fire responded to Silver Street, near Ore Bed Road, after two women walking their dogs reported a body in the road. Upon arrival, Sorrell and firefighters found Carnute on the edge of an elevated shoulder in a heavily wooded area. Carnute was allegedly armed with a knife and began advancing on Sorrell, who then shot Carnute once in the chest, according to the officials.

Two volunteer firefighters administered first aid and Carnute was transported to Berkshire Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery.

The circumstances of the shooting are under investigation by state police detectives, ballistics and the Crime Scene Services Unit.
     
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