Mysterious fires leave Prichard puzzled

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Prichard fire fighters had their hands full early Wednesday morning. They battled three fires within minutes, all within a block of each other.

Fire departments pride themselves on their timing.

And at around 1:20 Wednesday morning, crews swiftly arrived to battle a fire at an abandoned home on Meadow Avenue.

Henry McLaughlin and his wife watched from across the street. Henry said there were numerous fire engines on the scene, but then he saw something in the distance.

"Behind Meadow (Avenue), we saw another house burning,” said McLaughin.

Within 30 minutes of fighting that fire, crews went a block over to fight a blaze at this abandoned home on Atmore Avenue.

And fire officials said 45 minutes later, another call came in.

This time, a fire was set to vehicles and some equipment behind a business on St. Stephens Road.

"That don't sound too good,” said McLaughlin. “Sounds like someone's settin' em on fire or something. You never know."

These three fires were set within minutes, all within a block of each other.

"It’s been a nice neighborhood, but it's getting a little rough around here now,” said McLaughlin.

Time is of the essence to firefighters. And thankfully, officials said no one was injured during this string of blazes.

Prichard fire officials said they will get to the bottom of the incidents.

There were surveillance cameras posted in front of the business on St. Stephens Road, but the Prichard fire chief said they weren’t running Wednesday morning.

Fire marshals spent most of the day taking photographs and talking to residents to try to figure out who is behind the fires.

Officials said they have no idea if it was one person or the work of a group.

If you have any information, call the Prichard Fire Department.