A captain in the Bennington (Vt.) Fire Department allegedly told fire investigators that he set two fires in his wife’s home to collect insurance money, which he planned to use to pay for surgery to help her become pregnant again.

Capt. Ralph R. Brown Jr., 41, was charged with two counts of first-degree arson, and one count each of arson with intent to defraud an insurer, conspiracy and second-degree aggravated domestic assault with injury in connection with the two fires, set Feb. 26 and Feb. 27, according to the Bennington Banner newspaper. Bail was set at $25,000, but Brown was being held without bail on a violation of probation charge, tied to an unrelated driving with a suspended license conviction, the newspaper reported.

The Bennington Fire Department put out a fire at the house owned by Brown’s wife, Stacy Brown, shortly before noon Feb. 26. None of the occupants, including Stacy Brown, Ralph Brown, and another man, Joe Thomas, 26, as well as some children who lived there, were home at the time, the newspaper reported, citing affidavits in the case. That fire appeared to have been caused by electrical problems in the basement.

One day later, at about 10:41 a.m., a second fire was reported at the home, this one on the second floor.

Fire officials asked the Vermont State Police arson unit to investigate. They spoke to someone who knew Ralph Brown, who allegedly heard a discussion involving the removal of exotic birds prior to the fire, the newspaper reported.

Stacy Brown allegedly told investigators in a written statement that her husband told the children that she and Thomas had set the fire, and she told investigators that she was with Ralph Brown the day after the second fire, when he explained that he had crossed wires in the basement to ignite the second fire, the newspaper report said.

Thomas was later arrested and charged with first-degree arson and conspiracy to commit arson, while Stacy Brown, 34, was charged with aiding in the commission of a felony in connection with the fire.

After first saying he did not set the first fire, that he had extinguished a cigarette in the carpet on the second floor, Ralph Brown allegedly admitted to setting both fires so he could obtain insurance money to enable his wife to have a medical procedure, which he hoped would allow her to become pregnant again.

He allegedly told investigators that he twisted wires above the furnace in the basement to start the first fire and used a propane torch to set the second story ablaze, the newspaper account said.