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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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BCC 40 Under 40 Winners to be Honored

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC), together with partners 1Berkshire and Mill Town Foundation, will honor the winners of its annual 40 Under Forty Awards on Wednesday, March 18 at 5 p.m. in the Robert Boland Theater, located on the main campus at 1350 West Street.
 
Tickets are $40 per person (free for award winners and one guest per winner) and may be purchased online at www.berkshirecc.edu/40-tix. Proceeds benefit support Workforce and Community Education programs at BCC, addressing immediate needs and helping to build a lasting endowment. 
 
According to a press release:
 
40 Under Forty celebrates talented people in the Berkshires, under the age of 40, who have a deep dedication to improving the quality of life for those living and working in our community. Nominees, who hail from throughout Berkshire County, are eligible for the award through their professional work and how it makes a difference, their personal commitment to their community, or other efforts to improve the quality of life for those living and working the Berkshires. 
 
Mill Town Foundation will promote purposeful giving by funding each 40 Under Forty Award winner with $1,000 to re-grant to an eligible Berkshire-based nonprofit organization. 
 
The winners, along with their non-profit of choice to receive the $1,000 funding, are: 
  • Lilia Baker, Volunteers in Medicine, donating to ViM Berkshires 
  • Jillian Bamford, On Pointe Barre & Fitness Studio, donating to No Paws Left Behind 
  • Haley Barbieri, Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum / Shakespeare & Company, donating to Lenox Library Association 
  • Patrick Becker, General Dynamics Mission Systems, donating to Craneville Elementary - PTO 
  • Deirdre Bird, Dri Umbrellas, donating to The Denise Kaley Fund for Berkshire County Women with Cancer at BTCF 
  • Miranda Bona, Fuss & O'Neill, Inc., donating to Jacks Galore 
  • Amanda Carpenter, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, donating to Youth Center Inc. 
  • Lindsay Cornwell, Second Street Second Chances, Inc. / Berkshire County Sheriff's Office, donating to Elizabeth Freeman Center 
  • AJ Cote, Food Pantries of the Capital District, donating to Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds Inc. 
  • Charlotte (Linden) Crane, Berkshire Community College, donating to CBRSD - Wahconah Regional High School CPR program  
  • Jessie Downer, Lamacchia Realty, donating to Strong Little Souls 
  • Michael Duffy, Pittsfield Public Schools – Taconic, donating to Temple Anshe Amunim 
  • Devan Gardner, Greylock Federal Credit Union, donating to Berkshire Lyric 
  • Christa Gariepy, Berkshire Health Systems, donating Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires (the Seed Room) 
  • Alexander Hernandez, Berkshire Medical Center, Somos Berkshires, donating to Katunemo Arts and Healing (Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. as its fiscal sponsor) 
  • Hilary Houldsworth, Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc., donating to Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. 
  • Keytoria Jenkins, United States Postal Service and Keys with Keytoria, donating to Choices Mentoring Initiative 
  • Tom Jorgenson, Berkshire Athenaeum, donating to Literacy Volunteers of Berkshire County 
  • Amanda Lardizabal, Berkshire Community College, donating to Berkshire Humane Society 
  • Emma Lenski, Berkshire Pride / Collaborative Endeavors, LLC / Indie Readery & Records, donating to Berkshire Pride 
  • Molly Lovejoy, Railroad Street Youth Project, donating to Railroad Street Youth Project 
  • Kaitlyn Maloy, Berkshire Medical Center, donating to Berkshire Health Systems Nursing Residency 
  • Sheetal Manerkar, Berkshire Medical Center, donating to Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc. 
  • Zachary Marcotte, Berkshire Money Management, donating to Berkshire Humane Society (Community Cat Program) 
  • Stephanie Maselli, Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School, donating to Williamstown Youth Center 
  • Charell McFarland, Community First Therapy and Consulting, LLC, donating to R.O.P.E (Rites of Passage & Empowerment Inc) 
  • Molly Merrihew, WAM Theatre, donating to Latinas413 
  • Travis Mille, ConvenientMD Urgent Care, donating to BFAIR 
  • Octavio Miranda Nallin, Amici Berkshires, donating to Litnet 
  • Kaitlyn Moresi, BFAIR, donating to Love of T Foundation 
  • Kaci Nowicki, Greylock Federal Credit Union, donating to Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention 
  • Katherine Oberwager, Baystate Medical Center, donating to Pediatric Developmental Center 
  • Erik Ray, MountainOne Bank, donating to Youth Center Inc. 
  • Nicholas Russo, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, donating to Zion Lutheran Church 
  • Brianna Sabato, Pittsfield Public Schools, donating to Berkshire Running Foundation 
  • Alyssa Sakowski, Berkshire County Head Start, donating to Berkshire County Head Start 
  • Sierra Shehemi, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, donating to MS Support Foundation 
  • Brittany Sumner, Berkshire ABA, donating to Families Like Ours (FLO) 
  • Austin White, County Ambulance, donating to Emergency Medical Service Committee of Berkshire County 
  • Emily Zelenovic, Law Office of Emily Zelenovic, donating to Construct Inc. 
 
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