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Firefighters at a structure fire off Barker Road in Pittsfield.
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Firefighters run a hose down the 1,000-foot driveway from the nearest hydrant.
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Cars being turned around on Barker Road.

UPDATE: Blaze at DA's Home; One Minor Injury Reported

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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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. 

Tags: structure fire,   

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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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