Slingerlands fire leaves county legislator without a home

The Enterprise — Michael Koff

Lightning struck the Victorian home at 1613 New Scotland Road, firefighters surmise. Albany County Legislator William Reinhardt and his family escaped unharmed. Slingerlands Fire Chief Joseph Farleigh said the historic architecture prevented the house from being completely destroyed.

 

SLINGERLANDS — A fire at an historic Slingerlands house has left Albany County Legislator William Reinhardt and his family without a home. Lightning from Thursday night’s thunderstorm is believed to be the cause.

Reinhardt is still unsure of the total damage to the house, but said the front was nearly destroyed and the back would need major renovation. The first two floors, he said, were not damaged by the flames but by water from the fire hoses.

“Physically, we’re fine,” Reinhardt said Friday. “The living things are the irreplaceable things.”

Slingerlands Fire Chief Joseph Farleigh said the historic architecture prevented the house from being completely destroyed.

“It was a very solidly built house,” Farleigh said, describing how the slate roof, sturdy trusses, and plaster kept the fire from spreading.

The house, located at 1613 New Scotland Road, was built in 1898 and was originally owned by a member of the Slingerlands family, Reinhardt said. He has lived there since 1989. According to county assessment rolls, the property has both a market value and taxable value of $456,900.

According to Reinhardt, it appears that lightning struck his home around 9 p.m. last night, when he noticed some lights in the house go out. But, unbeknown to Reinhardt and his family, the slate roof was smoldering for several hours before they smelled smoke around 1:30 a.m. this morning. His son, who had recently arrived on a visit, went outside and saw embers coming down from the roof.

The family called 9-1-1 and fled the house. Reinhardt’s wife carried their cat and Reinhardt carried his daughter, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair or stroller.

The Slingerlands Fire Department was called to the scene at 1:58 a.m. Friday, said Farleigh. Farleigh determined from Reinhardt’s account, reports of lighting in the area, and the fact of the fire originating at the roof that it had started from a lightning strike.

Farleigh said the fire was put out within an hour of arrival, but the department had to do overhaul on the building and put out “hot spots” until 4 a.m., and left the scene around 6 a.m.

After being unable to find a nearby hotel that wasn’t fully booked, the family ended up staying at a relative’s home. Reinhardt said he plans to stay in Latham temporarily, but hopes to eventually rent somewhere closer to his former home while trying to rebuild.

Reinhardt represents the 33rd district in Albany County, an hourglass shaped district made up of most of the village of Voorheesville and parts of the towns of New Scotland and Bethlehem.

Reinhardt said that one place he may move to is in his district and one is not, but he said he is not concerned at the moment with how this will affect his position as a legislator. Rather, he is trying to find a place where his daughter can remain in the the same community.

Rather than accept donations, Reinhardt said that he and his family would prefer if donations were made in their name to any program that helps refugees.

“We’re lucky; we have  resources, we have insurance, we have friends,” he said. Many refugees, he added, come this country fleeing terrorism or disaster with nothing. Despite this crisis, he said, he is certain he is in a better situation than most refugees.

Five different fire departments were called in as backup, said Farleigh: Delmar Fire Department, North Bethlehem Fire Department, Elsmere Fire Company, Onesquethaw Volunteer Fire Company, and the Town of Bethlehem’s Firefighter Assist Search Team — which conducts search and rescue for other firefighters. The Red Cross reported that volunteers from their Northeastern New York Chapter responded as well.

 

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