In 2025, four people died in three fatal fires in the Berkshires. That was up from 2024, when one person died in a blaze in Pittsfield, but still a small fraction of the 30 fires in the state that killed 44 people.

Statewide, fire fatalities fell 12 percent from a seven-year high in 2024, when 50 people perished in fires.

State fire deaths by age in 2025. About 55 percent of victims were older than 65.

The most common place? At home — all but four fire fatalities statewide occurred in residences.

“Sadly, the places we should feel safest — our homes — are the places where most people lose their lives to fire,” said state Fire Marshal Jon Davine.

Berkshire County logged two fatal house fires in 2025, both in North Adams.

The remains of a duplex at 188-190 West Shaft Road in North Adams, where a 4-year-old died in a fire in March.

On March 12, a duplex fire at 188–190 West Shaft Road claimed the life of a 4-year-old girl. She was the only child to die in a fire in Massachusetts in 2025. The fire started on the front porch, but its cause has yet to be determined by the Massachusetts State Police Fire Investigation Unit, according to the state Department of Fire Services.

An adult and another child were seriously injured and transported to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The 4-year-old was inside the home when firefighters arrived and found the structure fully engulfed in flames.

Authorities investigate a fire at 77 Francis St. in North Adams in November.

On Nov. 24, Donald and Venture Hazard were killed in a blaze at their home at 77 Francis St., a fire their son, Darius Hazard, admitted to starting. The MSP Fire Investigation Unit ruled the cause of the fire “incendiary.”

Fatal fire deaths by occupancy in the state last year.

Police said Darius Hazard ignited it after he snapped when his mother, who suffered from scoliosis and advanced arthritis, fell in the bathroom. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson. His case has been continued until March.

The county’s third fatal fire occurred outdoors — one of three deadly outdoor fires statewide last year.

Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the Department of Fire Services, said a 73-year-old man in Cheshire fell into a fire pit on Oct. 11. He was transported to a Connecticut hospital, where he later died.

Wark did not identify the man or provide the date of death. The incident was investigated by the MSP Fire Investigation Unit. A spokesperson for the Berkshire District Attorney’s office did not respond to The Eagle.

Statewide, unsafe use or disposal of smoking materials was the most common contributing factor, linked to 21 fatal fires.

Officials were able to determine whether smoke alarms were working in 30 of the state’s 40 residential fire deaths. Only 16 homes had working alarms. Wark said the West Shaft Road residence had at least one, while investigators could not determine whether the Hazards’ Francis Street home had one.

“Changes to building construction allow fires to grow and spread faster," Davine said. "The US Fire Administration estimates that we have less time to escape a fire at home than ever before, so it’s vital to have working smoke alarms to alert us to the danger before it’s too late.”

Berkshire County’s only fatal fire in 2024 occurred April 15 at 1 Marlboro Drive in Pittsfield. Susan Steenstrup, 67, was pulled from the home and died later that day at Berkshire Medical Center. Wark said the fire started in the kitchen, but investigators could not determine what ignited it. The home had a working smoke alarm.