PITTSFIELD, Mass. — One firefighter was taken to the hospital during a blaze at the city's highway department building Monday morning.

According to Deputy Chief Bruce Kilmer, the fire began on the upper floors around 9 a.m.

While attempting to knock down the flames, one firefighter sustained a burn on his neck. He was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for Treatment. No other injuries were reported.

As of 11 a.m., the fire was still burning but was mostly contained.

"The major body of the fire is down. We're just working hard to get in there at this time," Kilmer said of the fire that was smoldering in the attic.

"It's just a hard fire to get at," he said.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Monday, January 7.

Sarah Gordon, 30, of Dalton pleaded guilty to two counts of breaking and entering in the daytime, two counts of larceny over $250, two counts of larceny in a building and a single count of larceny of a controlled substance.

She was placed on two years probation. The charges stem from house breaks in Dalton and Lee on May 29, 2011 and June 3, 2011.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, January 9.

Brian Podavani, 42, was found guilty by a jury of intimidation of a witness or other person.

He was ordered to be held without bail at the Berkshire County House of Correction pending sentencing on Friday, January 11.

The incident occurred in Pittsfield on September 25, 2011 and involved a 25-year-old man.

Podavini was found not guilty on two counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and a single count of kidnapping.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, January 10.

Christopher Peterson, 41, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of aggravated rape and breaking and entering in the nighttime.

He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 bail.

Peterson allegedly sexually assaulted a 26-year-old woman in Pittsfield after breaking into her home on November 14, 2012.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Friday, January 11.

Brian Podavini was sentenced to two to three years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on a single count of intimidation of a witness.

Podavini was found guilty by a jury on Jan. 9. The incident occurred in Pittsfield on September 25, 2011 and involved a 25-year-old man.

WOODFORD, Vt. — A Pittsfield, Mass., woman was taken to Southern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington after her snowmobile struck a tree on Thursday evening, Jan. 3.

According to state police, Chelsea Hawksley, 27, was traveling west on a Vermont Association Of Snow Travelers (VAST) trail in Woodford when she lost control of her 2012 Ski-doo 600, left the trail and struck a tree.

The crash was reported at about 7 p.m. Hawksley, who had been wearing a helmet, was transported to the hospital by Bennington Rescue with unknown injuries. She was reportedly still at SVMC on Monday. The snowmobile was totaled.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A man who had set eight buildings and three motor vehicles in downtown Great Barrington was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

David Pixley Sr., 63, of Great Barrington was found not guilty by reason of criminal responsibility in Franklin Superior Court Friday on eight counts of attempting to burn a building, motor vehicle, structure or personal property and single counts of burning a dwelling house and burning a building.

Judge John Agostini allowed the state a motion to commit Pixley to a mental health facility.

Pixley was charged in connection of a June, 2011 arson spree when he allegedly set fire to Barrington Outfitters on Main Street and Lee Bank. He allegedly targeted the Shopper's Guide, Foster's Hardware, Toole Insurance Agency, Berkshire Block, Gypsy Joynt and the Tune Street building on Railroad Street with combustibles and flammable liquids but those were not lit on fire. Three vehicles in the Foster's parking lot had flammable liquid applied to them but were not burned.

The spree led police in search of a man wearing a dark-colored poncho and black North Face winter gloves. The next morning, Pixley was arrested after finding him in the T.D. Bank parking lot, allegedly trying to set yet another fire. He then fled the scene and was arrested at his home.

The investigation was conducted by members of the Great Barrington Police Department, the Office of the state Fire Marshal, Station Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, January 3.

Timothy Lewis, 36, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to three counts of drug violation in a school zone, two counts of distribution of cocaine and single counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

He was sentenced to serve concurrent two to three year sentences at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the drug and conspiracy charges. He was given two and a half to three year state prison sentences to be served on and after the first sentence on the school zone charges.

The incidents occurred in Pittsfield between November 17, 2011 and June 15, 2012.

Lemarr Talley, 29, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

The charge was in connection with a motor vehicle stop in Pittsfield on August 22, 2011. He was sentenced to two and a half years at the Berkshire County House of Correction.