North Adams Police Chase Shooting Incident; Firefighters Tackle Blaze
Police Chief Mark Bailey, left, confers with detectives investigating a reported drive-by shooting near City Hall on Friday.
Police are looking for a tan or gold sedan which had reportedly been at the intersection of State Street and Main when the passenger or driver fired out the window at another vehicle.
The intersection was shut down for a short period while officers and detectives looked for evidence.
One witness reported seeing a Black man with dreadlocks brandish a firearm out the window and there were reports of witnesses hearing something.
Interim Police Chief Mark Bailey said he could not confirm whether there had been a shooting because police were sifting through a lot of information, some of which had come in during the fire.
Police had stopped a couple vehicles and had responded to a report of an individual who matched the witness's description but did not find anyone. Bailey said early in the investigation they had not found a vehicle that showed evidence of a shooting but it was later reported by The Berkshire Eagle that a car was found with damage and a pellet gun was seized. The Eagle reported that another incident occurred earlier in the day in Dalton possibly involving a pellet gun. iBerkshires had contacted Dalton Police but were told no shooting had occurred there.
The fire at 149 Pleasant St. was reported at about 1 p.m. and C Company was called in to cover the station. One person who had been in the house was reportedly being treated for smoke inhalation.
The blaze was very smoky and firefighters made their way into the first floor of the single-family home and then checked the second to clear it. The Fire Department began clearing the scene at about 2:30 p.m.
Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre said the fire is still under investigation but appeared to have started in the living room.
"It's a room and content fire, and nothing got into the structure," he said. "It was a really good stop by the guys."
The one person home at the time was asleep when the fire started but was able to exit the building, the chief said. "We have a fire watch there for the next probably at this point, 3 1/2 hours just to make sure."
The resident was injured and taken to North Adams Regional, as was a firefighter who cut his hand.
Berkshire Gas and National Grid responded to cut off power and gas and Lefebvre said the building is condemned at this point.
Tags: shooting, structure fire,
