Investigators in Pickering are trying to determine if there is a firebug on the loose in Pickering after the second suspicious fire in the same neighbourhood this month.
The latest fire began at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday in a row of townhomes on Alwin Circle near Kingston Rd and Brock Rd.
Durham Regional Police tell NEWSTALK 1010 it may have been deliberately set. The flames appear to have started on a porch where the homeowners kept their recycling. Neighbours reported hearing a large bang just before the fire.
One neighbour who identified himself as Jack tells NEWSTALK 1010 he grabbed a household fire extinguisher from under his kitchen sink to spray on the fire before firefighters showed up.
"It was going so fast," Jack said.
Two homes were badly damaged. The Ontario Fire Marshal is investigating.
@CP24 house on fire alwin circle pickering 2:30 am pic.twitter.com/QazGrRR6pD
— salva (@SalvaShamsi) March 27, 2018
Tuesday's fire is less than a kilometre away from a blaze on February 28th at another strip of townhomes on Valley Farm Rd.
Officials said it was a case of arson.
20 people were displaced for at least the night as fire ripped through three homes.
with files from Russ Courtney and Justine Lewkowicz