Fire Chief John Pansecchi, in white, talks strategy on Wednesday.
ADAMS, Mass. — At least eight fire companies responded to a Wednesday morning a structure fire in the old MacDermid Graphics building.
Firefighters and responders from Cheshire, Dalton, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lee, Savoy, North Adams, Pittsfield, Williamstown. Hinsdale also sent its rehab bus and Northern Berkshire EMS was on the scene with its rehab trailer.
The fire was reported at about 7:30 a.m. and black smoke could be seen looming over the old mill building at 10 Harmony St. Harmony and Prospect streets were closed to traffic.
The Adams Police Department posted on Facebook that Hoosac Valley Elementary School and Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School classes were cancelled for Wednesday. The schools are located not far from the structure.
Their post also reads, "Children on the bus already for Hoosac Valley Elementary School will be brought to the middle school gym at Hoosac Valley High School."
"BArT was already in session and will be evacuating to the Adams Visitor Center."
Fire Chief John Pansecchi said firefighters are approaching the blaze by pouring water at it from every angle.
"We have a fire in the building, looks like we have a lot of fire in the building and we're trying to get to it," he said. "Places have already collapsed prior to the fire, place that have collapsed since the fire, so not a lot of activity inside the building."
The mill, the former W.R. Grace, is made up of a number two- and three-story structures covering about 236,749 square feet. The fire was located in a long building toward the back of the property that runs alongside the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. The roof was fully engulfed in flames and collapsed in on itself around by 8 a.m.
Trucks from Williamstown were being situated in the Russell Field parking lot and firefighters were trying to find a location where they could attack the blaze from the trail.
Pansecchi said the building is supposed to be vacant.
"I was working when the call came in," he said. "My guys did a great job getting set up putting some hose lines and being prepared and got some plans put together when I got here to extend that and that's what were looking at."
The cause of the blaze is unknown at this time but the state fire marshal was on the scene.
Pansecchi said firefighters are providing observations from the outside and the North Adams drone has been deployed to determine the extent of the blaze. The buildings are large and unsafe in most cases to enter.
"We're making good progress but we're not at a point I'd call it contained," he said. "There's already places that have caved in prior to this."
He's been joined by fire chiefs from the various departments, who have been aiding the attack from different fronts.
"It's a really big help [having them] because you've got so much going on fighting a fire you don't think of the other things," the Adams chief said. "They start making suggestions."
Some of the structures on the complex date to 1881, when Renfrew Manufacturing built to produce jacquard textiles. It was the last asset of the company, and its machines and inventory were stripped out in 1927.
The mill's had various owners and periods of vacancy over the last century, but was probably best known as W.R. Grace, a specialty chemical company that bought it as part of the acquisition of Dewey & Almy Chemical in the mid-1950s.
MacDermid took it over in 1999 but closed the plant three years later, putting 86 people out of work.
The property has been vacant since and was purchased by 10 Harmony Street LLC for $53,500 in 2019, according the online assessor's records. Principal of the LLC is listed as John D. Duquette Jr.
Staff writers and photographers Breanna Steele, Jack Guerino, Tammy Daniels and Marty Alvarez contributed to this article.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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Anahata Schoolhouse is Offering a New Program for the Community
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
Howard Rosenberg opened the yoga studio in 2018 in the old school house at 201 North Summer St.
ADAMS, Mass. — The Anahata Schoolhouse on North Summer Street is offer a new service to its yoga patrons — ayurveda.
"Ayurveda means the science of life or longevity and it's a 5,000-year-old traditional system of medicine originating in India. It's a universal system of medicine that applies to anybody, anywhere," said certified ayurveda practitioner Hilary Garivaltis.
"It's based on nature, natural laws, and rhythms and principles of nature and understanding that we're all a part of it so learning how we fit into the world around us is so important in ayurveda."
Garivaltis has been a leader in ayurveda for 25 years and taught for 12 years at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Strockbridge.
She continues to give workshops and courses, and helps set up programs, including now at the Anahata yoga and healing arts center. This includes offering personal consultations to create customized recommendations on diet, lifestyle and habits.
"Ayurveda is really body care, yoga is taking care of the mind, ayurveda is taking care of the body," said Aly Sprague, Anahata's director of ayurveda and yoga programs.
"It's extremely individualized, so no one that comes in is going to walk away with the same recommendations, not one person, because we are all made up of varying degrees."
The three candidates for two seats on the Board of Selectmen — Joseph Nowak, Jay Meczywor and Jerome Socolof — answered questions during the 90-minute forum at the former Firehouse Cafe.
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The Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday granted Kathryn Foley and Christian Rowe a special permit to operate the campsites with conditions.
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The deteriorating conditions of the 65-year-old firehouse on Columbia Street was presented during an information session Tuesday night that included discussion of organizational changes in the upcoming election.
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