ADAMS, Mass. — The yellow smokestack on Columbia Street is coming down — piece by piece. 

 

Building Commissioner Gerald Garner said the owners of the Berkshire Mill had applied for its demolition after finding serious structural issues with the more than four-story-tall landmark.

 

The stack with its yellow terra cotta tiles, and its slightly shorter red brick companion, are regularly checked for stability. The red one holds antennae for Verizon at its peak but the yellow was not considered structurally stable enough, and was found to have deteriorated at its recent inspection. 

 

Manafort Brothers Inc. of Connecticut started Tuesday on the demolition, pushing the top bricks into the stack from an aerial work platform. The two workers on the platform are using crowbars — and their hands — to topple the bricks. Dust could be seen coming from an opening near the base; dust was also evident in adjacent Walgreens parking lot.

 

Once the stack is about halfway down, and not in danger of falling over, heavy equipment will come in to complete the razing. A worker onsite estimated it will take about a week. 

 

Garner said the town has been apprised of the work and that no toxic elements were found in testing the structure prior to the work. 

 

"I just want it done safely," he said.