Winter Blanket Burns Pittsfield Apartment

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An old electrical blanket ignited early Tuesday morning and gutted an apartment at 100 Springside Ave. 

 

According to Deputy Fire Chief Keith Phillips, Linda Vandyke woke up when her blanket suddenly caught on fire. She took it outside but returned to find the underside of her bed still burning.

 

Firefighters were called at about 6:30 a.m., Phillips said.

 

Van Dyke escaped without injuries but one firefighter cut his hand, Phillips said.

 

The Fire Department closed off a section of Springside Ave. until about 10:30 a.m. Firefighters had trouble fighting the blaze because a nearby hydrant was buried in snow. Phillips said that residents can be a big help to the department by shoveling the hydrants out. 

 

Phillips said the blanket was 8-years-old and the wires were damaged because of usage and washing. 

 

The apartment is one of six in the building but none of the others were damaged, he said. The owner is already boarding the apartment up.

 

According to state land records, the building is owned by Matthew Pantofel.

 

Vandyke and her husband Edward Vandyke are reportedly staying with relatives and the tenants of the above apartment were removed because of a strong odor of smoke, Phillips said. Edward Vandyke was not home when it began.