Fire causes heavy damage to home in Springfield's McKnight neighborhood

Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 11:17 PM     Updated: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 12:20 AM

Patrick Johnson, The Republican
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SPRINGFIELD – A late-night fire caused heavy damage to a three-story home on Berkeley Place in the city’s McKnight neighborhood and displaced an unknown number of residents.

The fire at 16 Berkeley Place, off Monmouth Street, was reported at 10:14 p.m. When the first firefighters arrived four minutes later, they saw the attic was fully engulfed with flames, said Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger.

No one was injured, he said.

The home was occupied, but Leger said he did not have a head count on the number of residents.

The Pioneer Valley chapter of the American Red Cross was called to the scene to assist the residents, he said.

There was no estimate on the amount of damages, but Leger said it will be high due to the heavy fire, smoke and water damage.

“The whole back of the house is gone,” he said.

At 11 p.m. the fire was under control, and firefighters were going through the house looking for hot spots, he said.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Investigators with the city Arson and Bomb Squad were on scene and just beginning to examine the scene, he said.