Suspicious fires hit vacant houses blocks apart

Rocky Mount, N.C. — Firefighters were called out within a minute to fires in two vacant houses about a block apart in a Rocky Mount neighborhood Friday night, police said.

A call about a fire at 300 Union St. was placed at 10:05 p.m., and a call about a fire at 400 Cedar St. was placed at 10:06 p.m., police said.

The living room and a bedroom at 300 Union St. were damaged, while the living room at 400 Cedar St. was damaged.

Investigators have not determined the cause of either fire, but labeled them both suspicious. Authorities canvassed the neighborhood, but did not find any witnesses or suspects.

In an adjoining neighborhood, two vacant duplexes on Ravenwood Drive were damaged by fires in August. Police suspect arson in those cases.