A neighbor shared an image of thick black smoke rising the from the blaze.
Updated on Aug. 28, at 8:30 am - According to the Pittsfield Fire Department, during Wednesday night's fire at District Attorney Timothy Shugrue's home, command staff confirmed that all occupants, including the owner, were out of the house. One minor injury was reported. The individual was treated and released.
Fire officials reported that the fire was under control in approximately 90 minutes, with crews working in difficult conditions.
When Engine 1 arrived, they reported fire showing from the two-and-a-half-story, wood-frame, single-family residence. Crews began stretching handlines to begin extinguishment operations. Barker Road was closed in the area due to the location of the address and the water supply hose being laid in the roadway.
Command arrived on scene and called for a second alarm response, bringing all on-duty personnel to the scene. Engine 3 arrived and established a water supply with approximately 2,000 feet of supply line and relay pump operations.
Engine 5 arrived and assisted with the supply line and RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) operations. Engines 2 and 6 arrived and immediately assisted with fire extinguishment operations. The Tower 1 crew laddered the building and vented the roof to release smoke and heat.
Crews from the Dalton Fire Department provided mutual aid coverage for the city. Hinsdale Fire and County Ambulance assisted with rehab and EMS standby. Eversource and Berkshire Gas also arrived to check for and secure utilities. The residence suffered fire, smoke, and water damage. The cause and origin of the fire is currently under investigation, with the Pittsfield Fire Investigation Unit, Pittsfield Police, and Massachusetts State Police working together.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Firefighters were called to a structure fire at the home of Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue early Wednesday evening.
The fire was called in about 5:45 p.m. at 732 1/2 Barker Road, a 3,000 square-foot home down a long driveway called "Whispering Pines." It is just east of Melbourne Road.
Scanner reports said a column of smoke and fire could be seen from the home, which is about 1,000 feet from the road.
A second alarm was called just before 6 p.m. and mutual aid was called to Dalton, Lenox and Richmond to standby or cover the Pittsfield fire station.
The Richmond Fire Department's rehab truck arrived on the scene just before 7 p.m.
Access to the scene was limited because it was private property.
Some neighbor's gathered on Barker Road with concerned looks and discussing what caused the fire.
It was reported that officials from the district attorney's office were also present at the scene. Individuals in business attire could be seen walking to and from the home.
Mayor Peter Marchetti was at the scene but declined to comment.
At approximately 7:50 a reporter witnessed a person being pushed to an ambulance on a gurney. The individual was fully covered in a pink blanket so their identity is unknown.
A poodle was reported running loose from the house.
The area is closed off between the airport's Gate 8 and Melbourne Road and traffic is being diverted.
Further information was not immediately available.
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Capeless Students Raise $5,619 for Charity
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Students at Capeless Elementary School celebrated the season of giving by giving back to organizations that they feel inspired them.
On Monday night, 28 fourth-grade students showed off the projects they did to raise funds for an organization of their choice. They had been given $5 each to start a small business by teachers Jeanna Newton and Lidia White.
Newton created the initiative a dozen years ago after her son did one while in fifth grade at Craneville Elementary School, with teacher Teresa Bills.
"And since it was so powerful to me, I asked her if I could steal the idea, and she said yes. And so the following year, I began, and I've been able to do it every year, except for those two years (during the pandemic)," she said. "And it started off as just sort of a feel-good project, but it has quickly tied into so many of the morals and values that we teach at school anyhow, especially our Portrait of a Graduate program."
Students used the venture capital to sell cookies, run raffles, make jewelry, and more. They chose to donate to charities and organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Berkshire Humane Society and Toys for Tots.
"Teaching them that because they have so much and they're so blessed, recognizing that not everybody in the community has as much, maybe not even in the world," said Newton. "Some of our organizations were close to home. Others were bigger hospitals, and most of our organizations had to do with helping the sick or the elderly, soldiers, people in need."
Once they have finished and presented their projects, the students write an essay on what they did and how it makes them feel.
"So the essay was about the project, what they decided to do, how they raised more money," Newton said. "And now that the project is over, this week, we're writing about how they feel about themselves and we've heard everything from I feel good about myself to this has changed me."
Sandra Kisselbrock raised $470 for St. Jude's by selling homemade cookies.
"It made me feel amazing and happy to help children during the holiday season," she said.
Gavin Burke chose to donate to the Soldier On Food Pantry. He shoveled snow to earn money to buy the food.
"Because they helped. They used to fight for our country and used to help protect us from other countries invading our land and stuff," he said.
Desiree Brignoni-Lay chose to donate to Toys for Tots and bought toys with the $123 she raised.
Luke Tekin raised $225 for the Berkshire Humane Society by selling raffle tickets for a basket of instant hot chocolate and homemade ricotta cookies because he wanted to help the animals.
"Because animals over, like I'm pretty sure, over 1,000 animals are abandoned each year, he said. "So I really want that to go down and people to adopt them."
Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, and a little bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.
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A 700-square-foot outdoor water attraction is planned for the 2.1-acre park at 30 John Street. City officials hope to have it operational by summertime.
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