Dozens of firefighters battled the flames, which were sparked at around 2 pm near Keats and Harvard.
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Firefighters say the fire started in the first home, spread to another and tore through them, causing extensive damage to both.
A plume of smoke could be seen from as far as downtown Fresno.
It took more than 40 firefighters to put the fire out, with help from surrounding agencies.
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Neighbors told us they heard explosions coming from the home where the fire started.
One told us he thought it was gunfire.
Firefighters believe a burning transformer might be to blame for those loud noises.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.