The fire that damaged several homes in a DeKalb County neighborhood Friday evening was set intentionally, fire officials said.
Two teens are in custody and authorities are searching for at least four more, DeKalb fire Capt. Dion Bentley said Saturday.
“There are several others they’re looking to bring into custody,” he told AJC.com, confirming that authorities are now investigating the blaze as arson.
The fire started in a vacant home along Wellborn Creek Drive near Covington Highway about 7 p.m. and spread quickly, Channel 2 Action News Reported.
One neighbor told the news station Saturday morning that he became suspicious after seeing a group of about six teenagers walking away from the home shortly after the fire began.
DeKalb firefighters said strong winds helped push the flames from home to home and made the fire difficult to extinguish.
Nobody was injured in the fire, but by the time it was extinguished, one home was destroyed and at least eight others were damaged, authorities said.
The fire got so big that heat from the blaze melted the vinyl siding off several homes across the street.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Neighbor Kasseem Stevens told the news station he was outside grilling with his family Friday when he saw what he called “a raging inferno” engulf several homes.
“From down the block you could feel the heat and everything,” Stevens said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Volunteers from the American Red Cross were in the neighborhood Saturday asking to see if any of the affected families need assistance.
— Please return to AJC.com for updates.
