Heavy flames can be seen coming from the front of the building in this video screenshot provided by the Fire Department.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A two-alarm structure fire on the Fourth of July charred the front portion of a Morningside multifamily but caused no injuries.
The blaze at 91-93 Orchard St. was reported at about 10 p.m. on Monday. Firefighters found heavy fire and smoke coming from the front of the building.
The home is a 2 1/2-story wood frame structure with three units that dates to 1900.
The Fire Department was told there might be children trapped in the building, and a second alarm was called to bring all on-duty fire personnel to the scene.
Five engines, one ladder, and one command fire apparatus responded. The first responders battled the fire, conducted searches, secured water supplies, and checked for fire extension.
No occupants were found in the search and the fire was brought under control in 90 minutes. There were no fire personnel or civilian injuries reported.
The cause is undetermined at this time.
The building sustained fire, smoke, and water damage that is reported to be primarily contained to one apartment. A report from the Fire Department said the other two apartments have heavy smoke damage but that the building is salvageable.
From the road, the front bottom portion of the building appears charred on the interior and exterior. The siding on the top of the building is also melted.
Occupants are being assisted with temporary accommodations from the Red Cross.
The property is listed as being owned by Flex Investments LLC of Marlborough.
Tags: structure fire,
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Community Meeting Addresses Prejudice in Pittsfield Schools
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
Johanna Lenski, a special education surrogate parent and advocate, says there's a 'deeply troubling' professional culture at Herberg that lets discriminatory actions and language slip by.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Around 60 community members gathered at Conte Community School on Monday night to discuss issues with prejudice in the district.
The event was hosted by the Pittsfield Public Schools in partnership with the Berkshire NAACP and the Westside Legends. It began with breaking bread in the school's cafeteria, and caregivers then expressed fears about children's safety due to bullying, a lack of support for children who need it the most, and teachers using discriminatory and racist language.
"One thing I've learned is that as we try to improve, things look really bad because we're being open about ways that we're trying to improve, and I think it's really important that we acknowledge that," interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said, reflecting on her work in several other districts before coming to PPS last summer.
"It is very easy to stay at the surface and try to look really good, and it may look like others are better than us, when they're really just doing a better job of just kind of maintaining the status quo and sweeping things under the carpet."
Brett Random, the executive director of Berkshire County Head Start, wrote on her personal Facebook page that her daughter reported her math teacher, "used extremely offensive language including both a racial slur (n-word) and a homophobic slur (f-word) and then reportedly tried to push other students to repeat those words later in the day when students were questioning her on her behavior."
The Berkshire Eagle, which first reported on the incident, identified the teacher as Rebecca Nitsche, and the teacher told the paper over the phone, "All I can tell you is it's not how it appears." Nitsche told the paper she repeated the words a student used while reporting the incident to another teacher because officials needed to know it happened.
Johanna Lenski, speaking as a special education surrogate parent and parent advocate, on Monday said there is a "deeply troubling" professional culture at Herberg that has allowed discriminatory, racist, non-inclusive, and ableist treatment of students.
She said a Black transgender student was called a "piss poor, punk, puke of a kid," and repeatedly and intentionally misgendered by one of the school's teachers, and then wrongfully accused of physically assaulting that teacher, which resulted in a 10-day suspension.
Another Herberg student with disabilities said the same staff member disclosed to an entire classroom that they lived in a group home and were in state Department of Children and Families' custody. When the teacher was asked to come to an individualized education program meeting for that student, Lenski said he "spent approximately 20 minutes attacking this child's character and portraying her as a problem, rather than a student in need of services and protection and support."
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The discussion will be held Monday, May 11, at 6 p.m. at Conte Community School in partnership with the public schools, Westside Legends and the Berkshire chapter of the NAACP.
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