MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Fire Department has ruled three vacant house fires discovered Saturday morning to be arsons.
The first fire was reported around 2 a.m. on Lexington Circle in North Memphis.
MFD said the fire was intentionally set and started inside the house.
The next fire happened just after 6 a.m. on Henricks Avenue near Prescott.
It caused $47,000 worth of damage to a home that neighbors say has been vacant for years.
“All of a sudden it was just engulfed in flames. It was just a big old fire, bunch of smoke,” said witness Allycia Tate.
Although no one lives in the home, Tate said that hasn’t stopped people from entering.
“We had seen a couple of them go in, come out,” she said. “We’ve seen an old person, an elderly person go in, like an older person go in there that maybe was homeless and needed somewhere to sleep for the night. But other than that, I mean, people go in. They just go in and out.”
The third fire happened on the 1200 block of East McLemore.
After causing $19,500 to one home, the fire spread to the home nextdoor causing an additional $20,000 worth of damage.
MFD is asking anyone with tips to call 528-CASH.