Friday December 3, 2004

WILLIAMSBURG - The probe into Wednesday's fire that destroyed a duplex at 39 Mountain St. now includes a missing-person investigation.

Police are searching for the owner of one of the units, Stephanie L. Rome, 44.

Rome's 8-year-old daughter, who was in school when the fire broke out, has been placed with family friends by the state Department of Social Services, according to police.

''We're treating it as a missing persons case right now,'' Williamsburg Police Chief Patrick Archbald said today. ''With the fire, it does raise some additional questions that we're unable to answer right now.''

Archbald said that police had worked with DSS to help Rome's daughter.

According to Williamsburg Police Cpl. Peter Scoble, Rome was last seen Tuesday afternoon in Northampton. He declined to provide more specific details and referred additional questions to the Northwestern District Attorney's office.

No one at the DA's office could be reached for comment this morning.

Over 50 firefighters from six surrounding towns battled the blaze Wednesday that burned one half of the duplex to the ground and rendered the other unit unlivable. David and Carol A. Demerski lived in one of the units.

Williamsburg Fire Chief Donald Lawton confirmed that part of Thursday's investigation of the fire scene had included efforts to determine whether Rome's body was in the wreckage but said that no body was found.

Sgt. Frank Hart, an investigator from the state police Hampshire County Fire Marshal's office, said that officials with both local and state police were working in conjunction with the Northwestern District Attorney's office to locate Rome, he said.

Archbald said the Williamsburg Police Department has three officers on the investigation. He declined to say whether the investigation to date suggested foul play.

''All doors are open and we're being aggressive,'' he said.

Hart also said that a canine unit had been brought to the fire scene to search for accelerants, but that none had been found.

Archbald said that there was no indication that the fire was intentionally set.

Rome worked as a nurse at Riverside Industries in Easthampton. Lynn Bridgman, a co-worker and friend, said today she was worried about Rome who does not have family in the area and was a single mother.

''She is a very dedicated mother,'' said Bridgman. ''Her daughter was everything to her. Her daughter was always her first priority.''

Bridgman said that Rome had called in sick earlier this week.

Police learned that Rome was to have attended a conference in Worcester but they have subsequently been unable to locate her in that city or identify a conference that she would have attended.

Lawton said the building was insured and that policies were in place for both owners regarding the contents of their separate units.

Lawton said that Williamsburg Fire Department officials would return to the scene this morning to conduct a final walk-through of the site and its perimeter.

''We've looked at it closely and found nothing suspicious,'' said Lawton. ''I hope it was accidental but we'll probably never know.''

Sean Reagan can be reached at

sreagan@gazettenet.com.