Authorities investigate two house fires in Southeast Fresno
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two fires, just blocks away from each other and less than an hour apart, kept firefighters and investigators busy on Tuesday morning.
The first fire was in the back of a house on Butler Avenue near Orange Avenue. Crews were able to get the flames out quickly but were still on the scene Tuesday morning to mop up and investigate the blaze.
Fire crews were then called out to a second fire, just blocks away, on 8th Street at Orleans Avenue. When Action News arrived, the house was smoldering and firefighters were working to put out the flames inside the home. Neighbors said the home is abandoned and they have had issues with squatters using the house.
"It's not just this fire, but we've had a rash of fires in the past month or two months where your firefighters have been running from incident to incident," said Lawrence French, Fresno Fire Battalion Chief.
The two fires happened within an hour of each other. Firefighters were on scene in just minutes and were able to save the homes from being destroyed. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fires but say the circumstances are suspicious.
At the first fire, firefighters said a witness told them that they watched a person start the blaze.
Investigators say it's too early to tell if the two fires are connected. They are now questioning witnesses as they look for the causes of the two fires.
