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.
 

Tags: fire,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

MCLA Selects Pennsylvania Educator as 13th President

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The board of trustees on Thursday voted 8-2 to offer the 13th presidency of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts to a Pennsylvania higher education executive. 
 
Diana L. Rogers-Adkinson is senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and chief academic officer for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, providing system-level leadership for 10 universities serving approximately 80,000 students.
 
"I thought she was really able to articulate the value of a liberal arts education and our mission to both society and, you know, to our students in their lives," said Trustees Buffy Lord before presenting the motion to offer her the post. "I think that she'll be a fantastic advocate for MCLA within Berkshire County, but also in Boston. You know, my sense is that she's going to be able to fight for us if it needs to happen." 
 
Rogers-Adkinson was one of four finalists for the post out of 102 completed applications. 
 
Trustees expounded on her experience, leadership and communication style. She was also one of two candidates, with preferred by the faculty, the college's unions and Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega. 
 
The second candidate, Michael J. Middleton, provost and vice president at Ramapo College of New Jersey, withdrew after consultation wiht his family, according to Lord. 
 
Story developing ... 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories