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Medical aid then responded, and the person was transported to Berkshire Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Pittsfield Man Killed in Car Fire

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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Update on Jan. 21, 2022: Authorities are still investigating a fatal car fire on Wednesday morning that killed 69-year-old Barry Dunnells. 
 
Dunnells, of Pittsfield, was pulled from a 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo outside the Livingston Apartments on East Street by firefighters. 
 
He was taken to Berkshire Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. 
 
Fire officials said Dunnells was inside the burning car when they arrived at about 8:40 a.m. Two other vehicles parked nearby were damaged.
 
The body was taken to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office to determine the the cause and manner of death. Pittsfield detective and fire investigators, and the State Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the incident.

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A person suffered life-threatening injuries from a car fire on Wednesday morning that spread to two other vehicles.

Around 8:40 am, a motor vehicle fire was called into 911 at 257-265 East Street or the Livingston apartment building.  The car was parked in the parking lot behind the building on 7 Second St. 

The Pittsfield Fire Department responded with one engine and arrived at the same time as the Pittsfield Police Department. Upon arrival, they found a person was still in the burning vehicle and was on fire.

"Typically a motor vehicle fires a one-engine response, we responded one engine. They arrived concurrently with Pittsfield police and bystanders explained that there was still a person in the motor vehicle that was on fire," Deputy Fire Chief Daniel Garner reported.

He added that the fire began to spread to surrounding vehicles. Three vehicles in total were damaged.

"So Engine Three firefighters pulled the person from their burning vehicle.  At that point, I arrived and I found the fire had spread to other motor vehicles," he said. "I called for more assistance because Engine Three then started medical aid on the victim."

Medical aid then responded, and the person was transported to Berkshire Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

The section of Second Street that the apartment building is on was closed off for about two hours to make room for emergency vehicles.  

Garner confirmed that the fire was in a parked car and was not the result of a crash.  At the time, he did not have an update on the victim's condition.

The area of the fire is marked off with barricade tape.


The incident is currently being investigated by the Pittsfield Fire Department’s fire investigation unit, the Pittsfield Police, and Massachusetts Fire Marshal's Office.


Tags: fatal,   fire,   

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Dalton Select Board Argues Over Sidewalk Article

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — A heated discussion concerning sidewalks during Monday night's Select Board meeting resulted in the acting chair calling a recess to cool the situation. 
 
The debate stemmed from the two articles on the town meeting warrant for May 6 at 7 p.m. at Wahconah Regional High School. 
 
One proposes purchasing a sidewalk paver for $64,000 so sidewalks can be paved or repaired for less money, but they will use asphalt rather than concrete. The other would amend the town's bylaws to mandate the use of concrete for all future sidewalks. 
 
The article on concrete sidewalks was added to the warrant through a citizen petition led by resident Todd Logan. 
 
The board was determining whether to recommend the article when member John Boyle took the conversation in a new direction by addressing how the petition was brought about. 
 
"I just have a comment about this whole procedure. I'm very disappointed in the fact that you [Logan] have been working, lobbying various groups and implementing this plan and filed this petition six weeks ago. You never had any respect for the Select Board and …" Boyle said. 
 
Before Boyle could finish his statement, which was directed to Logan, who was in the audience, Chair Joe Diver called point of order via Zoom. 
 
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