PITTSFIELD -- A city woman and her two children are homeless after an apparently accidental fire heavily damaged their house late Sunday afternoon.
Around 4:20 p.m., Victoria Pagan returned home to the sound of smoke alarms going off and smoke in her house at 197 Montgomery Ave. Ext., according to city fire officials. Pagan rushed in to save the family dog, before calling 9-1-1.
No one was home at the time.
Firefighters arrived and found thick smoke and flames emanating from the second floor and attic of the two-and-a-half story wooden structure.
The intense blaze prompted Deputy Fire Chief Mark Cancilla to call for a second alarm, summoning all 18 firefighters on duty to the scene.
They needed 30 minutes to bring the fire under control, keeping it confined to a rear bedroom.
Cancilla said the fire was likely an accident that started in a rear second-floor bedroom, but the cause remains under investigation.
He estimates the damage at $50,000 and noted the house is insured. Pagan and her children are staying with relatives, with the Berkshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross assisting the family with clothing and other needs.
Pittsfield Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski noted that the homeowner avoided more extensive damage to her home.
"She had working smoke detectors to alert her to the fire and she had the bedroom doors closed on the second floor," Czerwinski said. "The closed doors
To reach Dick Lindsay:
rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com,
or (413) 496-6233.
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