The Bethlehem Police Department is currently investigating two separate fires in the Town of Bethlehem, which they believe are related to storms that swept the Capital District early in the morning of Tuesday, August 7.
At approximately 3:45 a.m. the Bethlehem Police Department said they received a report of a structure fire at 42 Manor Drive in Glenmont and, upon arrival, officers found an active fire and smoke in the residence. The Elsmere, Delmar and Selkirk Fire Departments all responded to the scene to suppress the fire.
Later in the morning, at approximately 5:00 a.m., another call was received from a local alarm company due to the activation of a carbon monoxide alarm at a residence at 41 Wheeler Road in Glenmont. The Bethlehem Police and both the Coeymans and Slingerlands Fire Departments responded to the scene and found a fire in the basement of the home.
During this time patrol officers and neighbors reported observing almost simultaneous thunder and lightning activity and observed what appeared to be very close lightning strikes in this area of town. After a thorough investigation of both incidents by the Bethlehem Police Department Fire Investigation Team, it is believed that both fires are due to lightning related activity. While the exact causes are still being investigated, neither fire appears suspicious in nature.
