Fire damages century old business

LEE, Mass. (WWLP) - A massive fire raged out of control for hours at a major lumber supply company in the Berkshires.

It took a total of eight community fire departments to finally knock down the inferno at one of the Dresser-Hull lumber company buildings in Lee.

Nobody was injured in the fire, but the family owned and operated business that has been a part of Lee for over 100 years was damaged.

The fire started shortly before 8: 00 Tuesday at 60 Railroad Street, which is right off Main Street, and luckily, right behind the Lee Fire Department.

Lee Fire Chief Allen Sparks told 22News they are not suspecting arson, but that the Fire Marshal's Office was called to investigate.

For a while, fire officials were not letting anyone get near the flames because they were concerned the smoke might be toxic.

The fire was contained to only one of the buildings that was used to store a few shipping vehicles and lumber but it was very hard to fight. The frigid morning temperatures coupled with a faulty fire hydrant made it hard to supply water to the fire.

There are also some homes located across from the building that caught fire but Chief Sparks said that none of them were evacuated.

Viewers who called the newsroom at the height of the blaze said they could see the massive cloud of smoke from the Mass Pike.

The original store was first built in 1883.

Company President Richard Shields runs the business with the rest of his family. He told 22News it was a hard thing to see but that they would bounce back quickly and it'll be business as usual for Dresser-Hull as they celebrate their 108th year in business.

The State Fire Marshal's Office has ruled the fire accidental. They said it started at the south end of the building, where commercial vechicles and building materials were being held. The cause of the fire is still needs to be determined.