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Adams firefighters respond to wall fire on Friday afternoon on West Street.
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Adams Firefighters Stop Fire in Home's Wall

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
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ADAMS, Mass. — Firefighters were called out Friday afternoon to deal with a smoking wall in a duplex on West Street.
 
Fire Chief John Pansecchi said the fire was in the wall between 22 and 24 West.
 
"We had to open up on the second floor above that and on the porch on the 22 side just to edify the hotspots are out," he said. "We've still got a little smoking ... we're trying to figure out where it's from. ...
 
"We're doing our due diligence."
 
He said there was smoke coming up through the floorboards on the second floor when he arrived.
 
"You knew something was going on. It was just a matter of finding it," Pansecchi said.
 
Firefighters did see some flames inside but "very little ... we hit it pretty quick."
 
He expected to be on scene for another 30 or 45 minutes. That was around 4:30 p.m.
 
The is under investigation although Pansecchi was "90 percent sure" of cause. He declined to say until he had consulted with the other firefighters.
 
He expected the occupants of 22 to be able to return to their home. There was some damage to 24 including the door. No one was injured.
 
Cheshire responded for mutual aid; Lanesborough was called to cover the Cheshire station.

Tags: structure fire,   

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Adams Man in Wednesday's Stabbing Incident Arraigned on Assault Charges

Staff Reports
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An Adams man who called 911 on Tuesday night saying he had been stabbed was arraigned Friday on charges related to that incident and on outstanding warrants. 
 
Philip White, 25, is accused of stabbing himself and calling 911 posing as a "friend." According to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, an officer responding to the scene at 31 Commercial St. fired his weapon when the White was "observed approaching the officer in a threatening manner with an object in his hand." He missed, and no one was further injured. 
 
White was initially held at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield for a mental health evaluation and was reported in stable condition from his wounds, which were described as not life-threatening.
 
He was charged in Northern Berkshire District Court with assault with a dangerous weapon, to wit: cutting instrument, in connection with the Jan. 27 incident. He is being held without right to bail probation violation from charges of assault and battery, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct from an incident on Sept. 12, 2025. 
 
White has three outstanding warrants which include three counts of trespass and one count of assault and battery on a family/household member. The court has additionally ordered an evaluation on his competence to stand trial and at the defense request, criminal responsibility.
 
A dangerousness hearing request is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 4. 
 
District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said he will announce the findings of the full investigation into this incident, including the officer's discharge of his firearm, upon the conclusion of the investigation. The DA's Office said there would not be any additional comments at this time.
 
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