Pittsfield Firefighters Contain North St. Blaze

02:13PM / Monday, December 08, 2025Print Story | Email Story

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Around 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, the Pittsfield Fire Department responded to 664/666 North St. for smoke showing from the same address.

Engine 2 arrived and found fire showing from the exterior rear of the 2-1/2 story, wood frame, 4 family apartment building. E2 crew pulled a 1-3/4" handline and attacked the main body of fire.

The department's response consisted of E3, E2, E5, Truck 2, and Car2. E1 responded to scene as a rapid intervention crew. While E2 extinguished all visible fire, E3 conducted a primary search of the building, E5 secured water supply, and T2 assisted with checking for fire extension.

The fire was extinguished and overhauled within an hour. Firefighters remained on scene until 12:15 am.

There were no reported civilian or firefighter injuries. Fire damage was limited to the exterior of the building and mild smoke damage to the first-floor unit of 664 North.

The Department's Fire Investigation Unit is investigating origin and cause. There are no damage estimates at the time.

There were three units occupied and no occupants were displaced because of this fire.

Tags: structure fire,

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Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

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