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A fire gutted home on High Street in Dalton on Monday afternoon.
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Dalton Fire Damages Home on High Street

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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UPDATED Oct. 12 at 8:56 p.m.—The Fire Marshal determined that the cause of the fire was "careless disposal of smoking materials." 
 
DALTON, Mass. — It took more than hour on Monday for firefighters to knock down a blaze that engulfed a large portion of a home at 177 High St.
 
A neighbor reported the fire in the two-story home around 4:30 p.m.
 
Interim Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said firefighters arrived to find flames extending up the front of the house and into the eaves and the attic. An image posted on Facebook shows the porch section of the building fully involved.
 
One person was treated by the local emergency medical services for smoke inhalation but was not take to the hospital, said Czerwinski. No firefighters were injured.
 
The road from Field Street to Glennon Avenue was closed as firefighters battled the blaze.
 
The home is more than 100 years old and had a lot of void spaces that the blaze could travel, Czerwinski said.  
 
At the time of the interview, the department was waiting on scene for the State Fire Marshal investigator to help determine the cause and origin of the blaze. 
 
Responding to the fire were the Hinsdale and Pittsfield fire departments. Pittsfield provided a ladder truck. Cheshire Fire Department was standing by as a rapid intervention team. The Lanesborough Fire Department covered the town during the incident. 

Tags: structure fire,   

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'
DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 
 
The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.
 
"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.
 
"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 
 
Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 
 
Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 
 
Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.
 
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