No Injuries In North Adams Vehicle Fire

By Jack GuerinoPrint Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Fire Department quickly snuffed out a vehicle fire on Ashland Street on Thursday morning.
 
The call came in around 9:30 am, and Lt. Matthew LaBonte said the driver was at Hometown Tire when her car began to smoke.
 
"It started to smoke on her so she drove over here," he said. "It was an engine compartment fire. That is where it started. It burned right through the firewall."
 
LaBonte said the driver drove the Chrysler Pacifica next door to Berkshire County Construction where she safely exited the vehicle.
 
"This was a good spot to have it," he said.
 
LaBonte said upon arrival the vehicle was on fire, but firefighters were able to quickly put it out.
 
"It was burning through. The window was already blown out," he said. "But once you put the hose in the front of the vehicle it extinguishes pretty quick."
 
LaBonte said not only does a vehicle fire pose an immediate danger to the driver, but the fumes released are not safe to breathe in.
 
"It is not good to breathe in; vehicle fires are bad," he said.
 
The vehicle was heavily damaged, but the driver sustained no injuries. The fire engines left the scene right before 10 am.
 

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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