Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service personnel responded to a fire at Colonial Opticians at 4942 St. Elmo Avenue in Bethesda at 9:45 PM last night, November 30, 2025. The fire occurred in the store's lab area, and is currently believed to have been caused by an overloaded or malfunctioning power strip, MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer said. Over 50 firefighters were ultimately dispatched to the scene.
The electrical fire caused $300,000 in damage to the building, and $200,000 in damaged or destroyed merchandise or equipment, Piringer said today. No injuries were reported.
