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Firefighters quickly doused a kitchen fire on Walker Street on Monday morning.

North Adams Fire Quickly Extinguishes Walker Street Blaze

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Fire Department quickly extinguished a kitchen fire on Walker Street on Monday morning and contained much of the damage to two rooms in the home. 
 
"It was a quick response, quick knockdown, and we are going to be out of here soon," Fire Chief Stephen Meranti said. "Unfortunately, the occupants are going to have to deal with the damage."
 
The call came in just before 9 a.m., and Meranti said police were first to arrive at 100 Walker St. and confirmed it was a structure fire. Lt. Brent Lefebvre was on scene soon after with Engine 1.
 
"We had smoke showing from the eaves all of the way around the building," Meranti said. "They had heavy smoke conditions in the building."
 
Meranti said he initially thought firefighters would have to vent the roof, but the fire was mostly contained o the kitchen so this was not necessary. There were no injuries.
 
"The occupants were out, and the firefighters rescued two dogs," he said.
 
Meranti said the fire seemed to have started in the kitchen around the stove, and he was waiting to talk to the occupants to get a better sense of the cause.
 
The kitchen and living room took the brunt of the damage. The rest of the home sustained smoke damage.
 
Meranti said because it was a confirmed structure fire all off-duty personnel were called. The oncoming shift was also called but was called off en route once the fire was contained.
 
Meranti said firefighters had access to a working hydrant, but the Clarksburg Fire Department tanker truck was called just in case.
 
Northern Berkshire EMS was also on scene.
 
Emergency vehicles left the scene around 10 a.m. with the fire largely extinguished before 9:30.
 
"That is the key. Early notification, a quick response, and a rapid interior attack," Meranti said. "They got on scene, stretched the line to the fire, and they did a good job."
 

Tags: structure fire,   

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Clarksburg Joining Drug Prevention Coalition

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Select Board has agreed to join a collaborative effort for drug prevention and harm reduction.
 
The new coalition will hire a North County community coordinator who will be headquartered on the North Adams Regional Hospital campus and who oversee allocations for harm reduction, education and prevention efforts. Berkshire Health Systems has also committed about $120,000 over the next five years. 
 
Clarksburg, one of the first communities to sign on to the opioid lawsuit filed by a consortium of states several years ago, has so far received payouts of $23,594.78. It's expected to receive nearly $64,000 by the end of the 16-year payout. 
 
In October, the board had discussed whether to pool that money with other communities, expressing concerns that the small town would not receive enough benefits.
 
"Anytime there's a pooling of money I think countywide, I think we know where the bulk goes to," said member Colton Andrew said Monday. "I'm more open to the idea of keeping the money here but open to hearing your intentions and how the mony will be allocated."
 
Chair Robert Norcross said he felt there seemed to be a focus on harm reduction, such as the use of Narcan, and not enough for prevention or problem-solving.
 
But after hearing from members of the nascent coalition, members voted Monday night to partner with other Northern Berkshire communities.
 
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