Colonie

A Colonie police officer, his wife and their young son are believed to have died in a house fire Tuesday night, and State Police are investigating whether the blaze was deliberately set.

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, but not authorized to comment publicly, said investigators are examining whether one of the deaths may have been the result of a "self-inflicted" injury or whether someone else was responsible.

The fire broke out just after 6 p.m. at a residence on Schalren Drive off Forts Ferry Road that public records indicate was purchased in 2013 by Israel J. Roman, a Colonie police officer, and his wife, Deborah. The neighborhood is between Route 7 and the Mohawk River west of the Northway.

The couple's older son was at a basketball game when the blaze broke out.

Roman was employed by the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office before joining the Colonie police force more than 10 years ago. Lt. Robert Winn, a Colonie police spokesman, could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

The Verdoy Fire Department responded to the call along with other local agencies.

The investigation was turned over to the State Police, according to a law enforcement official.

About 11 p.m., a handful of firefighters rolled up a hose that had snaked along the road. Several police cars, their lights flashing in the dark, were parked in the street.

A large truck in front of the house lit the scene with multiple flood lights. The area was set off by yellow tape. The blackened top part of the Colonial-style house was extensively damaged. Neighbors gathered, but the crowd was kept away from the ruined home. One of the neighbors, Angela DeCandia, said, "I heard sirens at 6 o'clock and I saw ... a lot of smoke and a lot of flames."

blyons@timesunion.com • 518-454-5547 • @brendan_lyonstu