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An attic fire forced two families to flee their Greylock Terrace home early Monday morning.

Pittsfield Fire Displaces Five, Injures Firefighters

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — An attic fire that scorched the top portion of a duplex early Monday morning displaced five residents and injured two firefighters.

The Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 95 Greylock Terrace at about 3:30 p.m. Two firefighters were treated on the scene with minor injuries; there were no civilian injuries.

"Dispatch reported 911 caller attempted to extinguish a growing fire in their attic with an
extinguisher but were unsuccessful," the department reported.

The fire is currently under investigation but early findings point to a possible electrical issue.

The blaze was extinguished within one hour. Fire and smoke damage were contained to the attic and the second floor sustained water damage from attempts to douse the blaze.

Three engines, one car, and a tower truck responded while the Rapid Intervention Team was put on standby.



When Engine 5 and Car 2 arrived, they found smoke emanating from the 2 1/2 story, wood-
frame, two-family home. The E5 crew began extinguishing the growing attic fire using a hose line while the E3 crew secured the water supply to E5 and assisted with fire suppression.

E2 crew conducted a primary search of the building to ensure all occupants were accounted for and the Tower-1 crew ventilated the building and used salvage covers to lessen water damage to the occupants' belongings.

There are no current estimates for damage and the utilities were shut off until repairs are made. The Red Cross is assisting the five occupants with relocating during this time.

The PFD credited Pittsfield Police for assisting the evacuation efforts before they arrived.

From the outside, the home's two dormer attic windows are broken and there appears to be char inside. The structure dates to 1900


Tags: structure fire,   

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Pittsfield Reviews Financial Condition Before FY27 Budget

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased by more than 40 percent since 2022. 

This was reported during a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee on March 19, when the city's financial condition was reviewed ahead of the fiscal year 2027 budget process.

Mayor Peter Marchetti said the administration is getting "granular" with line items to find cost savings in the budget.  At the time, they had spoken to a handful of departments, asking tough questions and identifying vacancies and retirements. 

Last fiscal year’s $226,246,942 spending plan was a nearly 4.8 percent increase from FY24. 

In the last five years, the average single-family home in Pittsfield has increased 42 percent, from $222,073 in 2022 to $315,335 in 2026. 

"Your tax bill is your property value times the tax rate," the mayor explained. 

"When the tax rate goes up, it's usually because property values have gone down. When the property values go up, the tax rate comes down." 

Tax bills have increased on average by $280 per year over the last five years; the average home costs $5,518 annually in 2026. In 2022, the residential tax rate was $18.56 per thousand dollars of valuation, and the tax rate is $17.50 in 2026. 

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