Fayetteville homes damaged by suspicious fires also burned in 2007

Crews called to the area at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday found fires at 2764, 2779 and 2783 Rivercliff Road. Two of the homes were engulfed when firefighters arrived, and the third was showing fire from the second floor.

No electric service was hooked up to any of the homes, and no injuries were reported.

Assistant Fire Chief Richard Bradshaw said all three homes were on the market with Residential Group Real Estate.

"Two of the homes are completely destroyed," Bradshaw said. "One of the two-story dwellings in the cul-de-sac, we were able to get a good stop on it and we saved it. It's heavily damaged on the inside, but it can be saved and repaired."

Fire investigators are working to learn how the fires started, and the Fayetteville Police Department and State Bureau of Investigation are assisting with the investigation. Officials said all three fires are suspicious and believed to be intentionally set.

The same homes were involved in similar fires on Dec. 15, 2007. No charges were filed in connection with the 2007 fires. Investigators have not yet found the owner or owners of the homes.

Sherril Watkins of Residential Group Real Estate estimated the loss at $1 million. She said one of hte houses had just been rebuilt after the previous unsolved arson.

"I can't even imagine why someone would do that, and it has happened before in that same cul-de-sac," she said. "So that's the strangest thing in the whole orderal."

Dozens of firefighters working on five engines and one ladder truck were needed to bring Tuesday’s fires under control.

"Man, that's close to home," neighbor John Williams said. "If somebody is going around setting them on fire, that's something to worry about."