A large structure fire at 700 Bridge St. in Selkirk kept several fire companies busy the evening of Monday, April 21.
Fire crews began arriving at the home around 4 p.m. and battled the intense blaze for hours. Crews had to shut down the road, according to Bethlehem Police.
Investigators are ruling the fire accidental at this point and say it most likely began from a cigarette disposed in a trashcan outside the rear of the house.
Two firefighters were transported to area hospital for heat exhaustion but were not seriously injured. They were released a short time later, according to Lt. Thomas Heffernan of the Bethlehem Police Department.
They were numerous fire companies from the area and surrounding areas that responded to the fire and acting as mutual aid, Heffernan said. `They were using pumper trucks because there was no fire hydrant accessible.`
Police say the damage was extensive, and family members were home at the time, including a father, three children and two grandchildren.
`I would say it was a total loss,` Heffernan said. `They believe it began with a cigarette in the garbage.`
The American Red Cross were on the scene that night in order to provide for the family during the ordeal.
The Selkirk Fire Department was the lead agency handling the emergency, and besides the two firefighters who were transported by ambulance for heat exhaustion, police say no one else was injured.
“
