North County Communications Affected by Radio Tower Collapse

An emergency communications rig has been set up after a cell tower collapsed on Florida Mountain on Saturday night.

Update: 4:07 p.m. with information from press conference; complete rewrite throughout.

Officials report that service should be restored within 24 hours but new towers will have to be installed to permanently fix the situation.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two radio towers on Florida Mountain collapsed sometime between midnight and 3 a.m. Sunday morning because of high winds and heavy rain, causing disruptions in communications throughout North County.

"We are still left in shock by the events of this past week, but I just want everyone to be rest assured that this is being taken care of at a very very high level with all state agencies involved," North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright said at a press conference Sunday afternoon at City Hall.

The cell towers hold the emergency communications relays for North Adams; the collapses also affected some of the countywide emergency communications.

Fire Director Stephen Meranti said the damage has left limited-to-no cell phone service, however emergency communications have been restored through temporary means.

"Right now we have temporary communications vehicle stationed at the Western Summit [on Route 2], and we are transmitting and receiving through that unit,” Meranti said. "Contractors are at the site, and they are working to reinstall the antennas on a temporary pole until the tower can be reconstructed."

The towers are owned by North Adams Tower Co. and space is leased to local carriers. Owner Corydon Thurston was on the scene and working with crews and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to evaluate the situation.

An emergency operations center has been set up at North Adams Ambulance Service and the city is working with the communications and dispatch center at the Berkshire County sheriff's office to ensure contact with Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.

With the closure of the emergency room at North Adams Regional Hospital on Friday, communication with BMC has been critical.

Although 911 services are available, the lack of cell phone service is making emergency communications more problematic. The mayor urged citizens to use alternative methods of communications if they don't have a landline.

He added citizens can post emergencies on the North Adams Police Departments Facebook page or email napd911@gmail.com. Both options are being actively monitored.

"In this day in age everyone depends on that cell phone, but look to your alternate methods of communication for at least the next 24 to 48 hours until we can have some real confidence that we are back up and running," said Lt. Col. Thomas Grady of the Berkshire County sheriff's office.

He'd earlier described the destruction as "a catastrophic failure, there's no nice way to spin this."

"This is Mother Nature at its best," Grady said.

Grady explained that even though temporary antennas are being installed, the restoration of the towers will be a long process. He added that the Department of Public Health must investigate the structural integrity of the towers and the ability to safely work on the site. After this determination the site will be cleaned up and new towers will constructed.

Williamstown Fire District Dedicates New Station

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
06:37AM / Sunday, May 31, 2026

Chief Jeffrey Dias recognizes firefighter Alexandra Riggs, who will graduate from Williams College next week. See more photos here.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Massachusetts fire marshal came to town Saturday to congratulate the local Fire District and the taxpayers of Williamstown for the "amazing" station they have built on Main Street.

 

"I travel around the state, and I've seen hundreds of firehouses around the state — some great, some not so great," Fire Marshal Jon Davine told a crowd gathered outside the station for its dedication. "And I think we saw what the previous station here was in Williamstown. I'll tell you, especially in Western Massachusetts, we have a really big problem with deteriorating firehouses throughout Western Mass. These buildings are collapsing around our firefighters.

 

"And, as the marshal, it's my job to advocate for the departments for more funding. We've been working with our state reps and local reps and the fire chiefs association, trying to come up with different funding streams, so that we can help these departments build new stations, do better, safer stations, so that they have the equipment and the building they deserve to do their job safely."

 

The chair of the Prudential Committee, which governs the Fire District, and the chief of the department both thanked Williamstown residents for the 2023 special district meeting vote that paved the way for the station that went into operation earlier this year.

 

"It's an honor and a privilege to join you today as we celebrate this grand opening of the new firehouse," Chief Jeffrey Dias said. "This facility is so much more than a building that houses fire trucks. It stands as a symbol of our community's commitment to safety, preparedness and public service. It's a place where our members will maintain our equipment. They will learn about our craft. They'll share meals and, yes, from time to time, they're going to share sorrow.

 

"This isn't a fire station. This is a firehouse. And people have heard me say this a million times already. And it houses the very best second family that one could imagine."

 

Dias was joined at the podium set up in the parking lot for the noon ceremony by Prudential Committee Chair David Moresi, state Rep. John Barrett III and the the Rev. William F. Cyr, who gave an invocation.