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Hooker Street and a section of Francis Street were closed off after a fire in a Francis Street home on Monday morning.

Two Dead in Fatal North Adams Fire

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Two people were found dead in Monday morning's fire on Francis Avenue. 
 
The Berkshire District Attorney's Office on Monday afternoon confirmed that firefighters had entered the single-family home to search for occupants and found the two already deceased. No other individuals were located inside the residence.  
 
The names of the fire victims are being withheld until notification of next of kin. The DA's Office stated that an update would be released once that is done.  
 
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of their deaths. The North Adams Police and State Police investigators from the State Fire Marshal and DA's office responded to the scene.
 
According to an earlier statement from the Fire Department, the fire was reported about 7:11 a.m. Scanner reports said smoke was coming from the roof and out the doors, and that individuals may have been inside. 
 
The home is on a hillside and firefighters entered through the basement access to attack the fire and search for occupants. 
 
The blaze was contained to the single-family home near the intersection with Hooker Street. 
 
Northern Berkshire EMS was called to the scene and Clarksburg was called to cover the station.
 
By 9 a.m., the fire was out, but police, fire and EMS were on the scene, which was cordoned off with yellow tape. Hooker Street was also closed off. 
 
According to the department, "emergency response agencies will remain on scene for an extended period for overhaul, investigation, and safety operations. The public is urged to avoid the area to allow emergency crews to work safely and efficiently. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available."
 
Original post at 9:50 a.m., Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. 

Tags: fatal,   structure fire,   

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McCann Committee Gets First Look at $17M Renovation Progress

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff

The project is in the home stretch with roofing and some windows and doors still to be installed. Superintendent James Brosnan also pointed above to HVAC improvements in the Guidance Office. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The McCann School Committee got a first look at the final stretch of a $17 million overhaul aimed at making the 64-year-old vocational school safer, quieter and more energy-efficient.

After a brief School Committee meeting Thursday, Superintendent James Brosnan led the members through the school, highlighting some of the changes made in the 64-year-old building.

"Just seeing this gives you a magnitude of the amount of work that goes on," he said.

The upgrades are being funded through the Massachusetts School Building Authority's Accelerated Repair Program and the Northern Berkshire Vocational School District's member towns.

Work was supposed to be completed before the start of the school year, but weather and the removal of materials caused a delay.

The tour was all indoors, and Brosnan told a disappointed committee that he was hesitant to take them onto the roof at night, but said the new roof is near 80 percent down.

"We have another 10, and 10 percent of that missing 20 is in the AVB [air and vapor barrier] and removal phase," Brosnan said. "That particular area is across the front, down the post-secondary ... we are going to pick up from guidance. So we have that plan going through next week. Fingers crossed, within two weeks we will have that piece down."

He said the roof has been built up and insulated for more efficiency.

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