Firefighters had to deal with three blazes in 24 hours.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — No one was injured in a three-alarm fire on Hoxsey Street on Wednesday afternoon, the third fire in town in two days.
Firefighters from Williamstown, North Adams and Pownal, Vt., extinguished the blaze at the three-bedroom residence at 23 Hoxsey St. in about 30 to 45 minutes, Fire Chief Craig Pedercini said. The Clarksburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to provide coverage at the Williamstown station.
No one was home at the time of the Wednesday afternoon fire. The three tenants, students at Williams College, left for break earlier in the week, according to the building's owner, Paul Rinehart, who was on scene to watch the cleanup.
Pedercini credited workers from the Williams College Science Center project across the street with helping to get the fire under control.
"It was called in, as it turns out, by a couple of construction workers who happened to see the fire," he said.
"Once we got on site, actually, a couple of those construction workers are firemen in another town. One helped us stretch a 4-inch line up to the hydrant. The other one helped us pump the truck while we sent some guys into the fire.
"We could have left the truck pumping like that, but to have someone sitting there on it is kind of nice."
Pedercini said the fire appears to have started in the kitchen on the first floor of the two-story structure; the cause still is under investigation.
"We did have smoke on the second floor as well, coming out the soffits and eaves," Pedercini said.
Rinehart said he has owned the home since 1977 and lived there with his family until 2000. He has been renting the home for about 11 years.
The Fire Department received the call at 12:41 Wednesday afternoon, providing a cap on a busy 24 hours for the call-volunteer department.
On Tuesday, the department responded to a fire traced to a pellet stove in a residence on Simonds Road (Route 7).
Wednesday morning, it had a fire in a home on Main Street west of the Field Park traffic circle.
"I got called out at about 8:20 this morning," Pedercini said. "We had a little fire in a floor of a bathroom. We were out there for about an hour. It was just us; it was contained pretty quick on our end. But we did have to cut into the floor of the bathroom and the ceiling down below it.
"I had just gotten myself home and showered pretty much, and we were right back at it. … It's been a busy couple of days."
Northern Berkshire EMS responded to the scene. None of the firefighters on the scene sustained injuries.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Teacher of the Month: Frani Miceli
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
Students say teacher Frani Miceli makes learning fun.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williamstown Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Frani Miceli has been selected as the July Teacher of the Month.
The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, will run for the next 12 months and will feature distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here.
Miceli has been teaching for 26 years and has worked to develop a happy, comfortable, and creative learning environment for her pupils.
Through her connection with her students and the decor on her classroom walls, Miceli hopes to help them realize that being kind is possible.
"I have a thing on my wall that says, 'Character is what you do when no one is watching.' So, I hope that they have internalized that," Miceli said.
"We make personal decisions because it's the right thing to do, and sometimes our actions can negatively impact other people, and sometimes they can positively impact other people. So I think happy kids make happy choices, and so I just want them to be happy, engaged children"
Every single one of her students in her morning math class jumped at the opportunity to praise their teacher.
The Select Board on Monday discussed how the town communicates to residents during an emergency and whether residents unaffiliated with Williams College should have access to the same information as college students and staff about incidents on campus. click for more
The Prudential Committee on Wednesday discussed the need for a policy for all call-volunteer firefighters who reach the state's mandatory retirement age.
click for more
The Select Board on Monday was told that it should let the people who walk their dogs in the Spruces Park decide how the 114-acre town-owned park is managed. click for more
The exhibit "Fragile Beauty" fills the pavilion with glass objects from the Corning Museum of Glass, showcasing different cultures, time periods and techniques, and will run through Oct. 27.
click for more
The Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday began its review of the development plan for a new Williams College Museum of Art at the junction of Routes 2 and 7. click for more