The investigation into the blaze that engulfed a vacant mill building on Harmony Street last month is pressing on, with officials stating no signs of foul play have emerged. Reports from Adams Fire Chief John M. Pansecchi and State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, as disclosed by Mass.gov, have clarified that while the cause of the fire is yet undetermined, there is currently no indication that it was deliberately lit.
Despite this, the scrutiny of the incident has unveiled multiple safety code breaches by the property owner, Harmony Street LLC, which has incurred three citations, each accompanied by a $100 fine; the property owner neglected to install an essential lock box, failed to secure a new permit after unauthorized occupancy of the building, and engaged in hot work operations without the mandated permit, and although the investigation spearheaded by local and state fire departments continues, these violations stand as glaring indictments of the owner's disregard for lawful standards.
Evident from the investigation was that occupants engaged in unauthorized hot work, utilizing oxy-acetylene torches to cut metal, an activity steeped in inherent fire risk and requiring proper certification and permits. As the Adams Fire Department was summoned to the scene on the morning of April 16, it was confronted with smoke and flames pouring from the 237,000-square foot structure, leading to a two-alarm fire response that was bolstered by additional fire crews from neighboring areas and sustained for roughly 10 hours, "Chief Pansecchi requested a DFS Hazmat team to monitor the air at various locations," as noted in the report issued by Mass.gov.
