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What's PlayingFree Summer Concerts
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Live on the Lake
Burbank Park/Wed., 6 p.m.
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| July 8, Sirsy |
Concerts at the Lake
Windsor Lake/Sun., 7p.m. |
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Weather delay to July 5,
Pittsfield Eagles
Community Band
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Lawn Concerts
Clark Art/Tues., 6 p.m. |
| July 7, The Doerfels |
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Sales FliersDaily Digest
A local bruin looks forlornly at the birdfeeders far from her reach in Joyce Harsch's back yard. Have a photo to share? Submit as a member or e-mail to info@iberkshires.com. |
Public Hearings
Department of Public Utilities on National Grid's request for a 16 percent increase in distribution charges on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at North Adams City Hall. What's this all about? |
Jobless Journey
Former Adams resident and radio host Sean Baker has been chronicling his adventures in unemployment on The Forecaster site in Maine. |
ObituariesSportsSoccer sign-ups
Hoosac Tunnel Youth Soccer League/NBYMCA fall soccer sign-ups for PreK-Grade 8 at Northern Berkshire YMCA until Aug. 1.; 413-663-6529 for more information. |
ColumnistsRelated Stories |
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Mercury Spill Closes North Adams City HallStaff reports - September 24, 2008
iBerkshires
NORTH ADAMS — City Hall was closed this afternoon after a minor mercury spill in two of its rooftop heating and air conditioning units.
A state hazardous-waste team outfitted in white hazmat suits and oxygen masks worked into the evening to clean up the spill. Mayor John Barrett III said the building would, hopefully, open Thursday morning.
Workers discovered the leaks in two mercury switches around 3 p.m. and notified the mayor, who contacted Building Inspector William Meranti.
Meranti said the Board of Health, Fire Department and the state Department of Environmental Protection were called and the state hazmat team notified "to do what they have to do."
The building was closed at 3:30 p.m., said the mayor. "We sent everybody home and they won't return until 9:30 tomorrow morning."
 Fire Director Stephen Meranti, left, watches the hazmat team prepare for the cleanup. |
Mercury is a toxin and exposure to high levels can affect the nervous and respiratory systems and the kidneys, among other organs. The first action in a mercury spill is to evacuate the area.
Meranti said the one of the glass switches was broken and the other was leaking. Barrett said there had been trouble with the heating in City Hall for a couple days and the units were being checked when the leaks were found. He believed the leaks occurred Wednesday.
The HVAC units are about 15 years old said Meranti. There are three other units that were expected to be checked.
Police blocked off the entrances to City Hall along Main Street and a city fire truck and Technical Operations Module vehicle from the state Department of Fire Services was parked in the West Main Street parking lot. The North Adams Ambulance Service was also on the scene.
 It was nearly 6 p.m. before the three-man team made its way up the building's stairwell to the roof to begin the cleanup.
Barrett said the building's air quality would be checked in the morning to ensure its safety. While the spills occurred on the rooftop there was concern mercury vapor could be in the vents.
A Connecticut firm has been hired to assess the air quality in the building Thursday morning.
"We're fairly sure it will be OK," said Barrett.
"It's not much," he said of the "miniscule" amount of mercury, "but it's not something you can take lightly."
Update: City Hall was up and running on Thursday, albeit slightly later than planned. |
| A friend just went by 10AM this morning...looks like they still have a problem...Mayor is outside as well as the Fire trucks, and HASMAT team; driveway to the building is still blocked off with police barriers...sounds like another day out of work...I also hope everything is okay. | | from: Today | on: 09-25-2008 |
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I was driving home from work tonight around 7:30 and noticed fire trucks around the building....hope everything turns out ok!
P.S I'm sure the employees didn't mind leaving work early on such an amazing fall day ! ;) | | from: Nicole | on: 09-24-2008 |
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