NORTHAMPTON — A Smith College professor emerita who taught at the institution for 56 years died Tuesday as the result of a house fire on Fort Hill Terrace.
The fire was first reported at around 9:20 p.m. at 29 Fort Hill Terrace, located off South Street. Officers from the Northampton Police Department were the first to arrive on scene, but were unable to enter due to the high heat, said Fire Marshal spokesperson Jake Wark.
When Northampton Fire Rescue arrived, heavy smoke and flames were emanating from the two-story single-family home. Upon entry to the house, firefighters found one occupant who was pronounced dead at the scene. Another occupant of the home managed to escape, officials said.
Firefighters battled the blaze for around an hour before it was brought under control, authorities said. No smoke alarms appeared to be going off, according to officials.
The victim was identified as Thalia Pandiri, a longtime professor of classical languages and world literature at Smith College. Pandiri began her career in 1968, according to the college, and she recently retired from the school in 2024.
While teaching at the school, Pandiri became known for teaching a macabre yet popular course titled “Unnatural Women: Mothers Who Kill Their Children.” The class focused on exploring the theme of maternal murder in literature, a topic that stretches back to ancient Greece, with the story of Medea.
“It ties in with our whole desire to see women as nurturing and protective and a haven in the home for men and children,” Pandiri told the Springfield Republican in 1994 about the class. “If the mother is going to murder the child, whom can you trust? It is a very scary subject.”
Renata Pienkawa, who along with her husband Arnie Rosenbach, were at the house the afternoon following the fire to help clear out the wreckage. Pienkawa, of Amherst, said she and her husband had been friends with Pandiri since the 1980s.
“She was a wonderful, goodhearted person who spoke several languages,” Pienkawa told the Gazette. “She was very educated, very gifted selfless person.”
Rosenbach described part of the home’s interior as “obliterated” following the fire.
“All of the damage is on one side,” he said. “It’s terrible. She was the most brilliant person.”
The origin and cause of the fire are under investigation by the Northampton Fire Department, Northampton Police Department, State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police detectives assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney’s office. They are supported by the Department of Fire Services’ Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit.
The fire departments of Easthampton, Hadley and South Deerfield provided mutual aid at the scene. The Whately Fire Department and Williamsburg Fire Department provided station coverage. The Department of Fire Services deployed a Rehab Unit to support firefighter health and safety.
Smith College expressed condolences to Pandiri’s family for their loss in a statement.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Thalia Pandiri, Professor Emerita of Classical Languages & Literatures and of World Literatures,” the college stated. “We are grateful for the contributions she made to countless Smith students during the decades she was here. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones during this very sad time.”
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra also put out a statement on Wednesday afternoon regarding the tragic fire.
“On behalf of the City of Northampton, I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and neighbors affected by the tragic loss of life in a fire on Fort Hill Terrace last night,” Sciarra said. “This is a sad loss for our community.”