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Pittsfield firefighters battle a structure fire on South Street overnight on Sunday.

Pittsfield Firefighters Battle Early Morning Blaze in Extreme Cold

iBerkshires.com StaffPrint Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – No injuries were reported after firefighters extinguished a fire in a two-story detached barn and garage at 566 South St. early Sunday morning.
 
The Pittsfield Fire Department just after 2 a.m. responded to reports of a building “fully involved” with the blaze.
 
“All personnel battled the blaze under extreme cold conditions with the main body of fire being brought under control within an hour,” according to a news release from the department.
 
The two-alarm fire brought all on-duty personnel to the scene, where they remained until about 6 a.m. to extinguish all remaining hot spots.
 
Hinsdale Fire Department was asked to respond with its firefighter rehab bus “due to the extreme cold conditions,” according to the news release.
 
There are three residences within 100 feet of the barn, but none were in danger during the fire, Deputy Chief Neil Myers said in the release.
 
The owner’s residence was not damaged in the blaze.
 
The fire remains under investigation, but Myers said it does not appear to be suspicious.
 
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Growth of Girls Basketball Reflected in County Hall of Fame Inductees

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Each year, the Berkshire County High School Girls Basketball Hall of Fame adds more chapters to the history of the game.
 
Sometimes, that history can be traced through a single family.
 
“I can go back to the days that show how far we've progressed in women's basketball,” Deborah Donovan told the crowd at Saturday’s induction ceremony at Proprietor’s Lodge. “Because when I started at St. Joe, we had pinnies -- do you know what pinnies are? They were things you threw over your head, and it was either red or yellow, and you had to tape on a number.
 
“We didn't have a league, per se. We didn't have anyone go out and follow us.”
 
Donovan and her sisters, Patricia Donovan and Laura Donovan-Najimy, all graduates of St. Joseph Central High School, joined the county Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon, along with Donovan-Najimy’s daughter, Alice Najimy, a graduate of Lenox Memorial, Hoosac Valley’s Alie Mendel, Wahconah’s Maria Gamberoni, Lee’s Karli Retzel, Drury’s Bonnie Eichorn and Mount Everett’s Gwendolyn Carpenter.
 
Coach Ron Wojcik, who led Hoosac Valley to six state finals and two state titles, and Peter Arment, the long-time president of the Lenox Youth Basketball Association, rounded out the 11-member Class of 2026.
 
Patricia Donovan, in her remarks, noted that her sister Deborah played high school basketball in the days when teams played six on a side and players were not allowed to cross half court.
 
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