PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Authorities are offering a reward up to $5,000 for information leading to the person or persons who started a fire late Wednesday morning on Linden Street.
The vacant four-family structure at 213 Linden St. incurred what fire officials said was "moderate damage" to the first floor and basement.
Firefighters responded to the scene at 11:49 a.m. after a passerby noted smoke coming from the building. Upon arrival, they found heavy smoke throughout the building and flames in the basement extending to the first floor.
The call went to two alarms and all on-duty personnel were called to the scene; off-duty firefighters were called in to man the stations.
It took about 45 minutes to bring the fire under control. Five engines and a ladder truck responded to the scene and Deputy Fire Chief Mark Cancilla was the officer in charge.
No civilians were injured but one firefighter incurred a muscle strain.
The state fire marshal's office and city fire and police investigators ruled the cause of the fire as arson. Anyone with information about the fire should call 1-800-682-9229.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Tuesday, June 17.
Phap Nguyen, 53, of Lee had single counts of armed assault with intent to murder and cruelty to animals continued without a change of plea for three years.
During that period Nguyen is ordered to take daily medications, continue therapy and undergo consultations to assess changes in mental and neurocognitive functioning.
Nguyen allegedly shot and injured a 32-year-old man who lived at the same address and killed his dog on December 13, 2012.
Ernest Harvin, 38, of Williamstown had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $300,000 cash or $3 million surety bail. The charge stems from the execution of a search warrant at his home on May 15, 2014.
Stephanie Carsno, 29, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and possession cocaine with intent to distribute.
She was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $1,000 bail. The charges stem from a drug transaction that allegedly took place in Pittsfield on May 20, 2014.
Michael Baggett, 52, of Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon, two counts of intimidation of a witness and a single count of threat to commit a crime, to wit: kill.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $2,500 bail. The charges stem from an altercation in Adams on May 8, 2014 that involved a 35-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Wednesday, June 18.
Shaun Race, 30, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of motor vehicle homicide while operating the endanger and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
He was ordered to serve one year at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the motor vehicle homicide charge and given a concurrent 10 day sentence on the other charge. He also lost his license for 15 years.
Race was the driver of a motor vehicle involved in a single vehicle accident in Lee on May 12, 2012 that killed 30-year-old Mayra Demedeiros.
Single counts of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs and child endangerment while operating under the influence were dismissed by the state.
Michael Dicenzo Jr., 37, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of larceny from a building, intimidation of a witness, larceny over $250 and violation of an abuse prevention order.
He was sentenced to serve concurrent two to three years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the larceny and intimidation charges. He was give a concurrent two year sentence at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the violation of an abuse prevention order charge.
The charges stem from incident in Pittsfield between March 22, 2013 and July 15, 2013.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Thursday, June 19.
Jerrel Hall, 22, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, illegal possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card.
He was ordered to serve concurrent two-year sentences at the Berkshire County House of Correction. The charges stem from an investigation into reported shots fired near Columbus and Circular Avenues in Pittsfield on August 19, 2013.
A single count of improper storage of a firearm was dismissed by the state.
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