Fire on Berkshire Remains Under Investigation

The fire that destroyed a detached garage at 159 Berkshire Rd., damaged two other homes and left one woman hurt on April 20, remains under investigation.

Grace and James Smith own the home where the fire started. 

Grace Smith, who is on oxygen, was injured in a fall while trying to get out of the house after the fire started. She was taken by ambulance to St. John West Shore Hospital for treatment. Contacted at her home Monday, a bruised Grace said she was healing. Her grown daughter, Rita, who was staying with her parents after the fire, said Grace was on her way back to the hospital for testing.

Lt. Jeff Moore said one of Smith's neighbors across the street call 9-1-1 at 6:29 a.m.

“It was gone when we got there,” Moore said of the garage. “When crews rolled up the walls had collapsed.”

Moore said his department had to use “Class B” foam for flammables to extinguish the fire after the gas tank on the car exploded. He said the fire appeared to start on the south side of the garage and was hot enough to melt the rims on the car.

Berkshire resident Tamie Myers watched as firefighters arrived.

"I was up and drinking coffee on my deck when I heard a lot of sirens,” Myers said. “I got up and looked north across the backyards and could see flames."

Myers said she ran down the street and watched as firefighters doused the garage and house.

“The garage and contents looked like a total loss,” she said.

Firefighters left at 8:08 a.m.

Moore said the police department is continuing an investigation but said he believed the cause of the fire will remain undetermined. No other injuries were reported.