Officials investigate two fires within one block in Union Grove

UNION GROVE (WITI) -- Officials are investigating two fires in Union Grove that happened minutes apart -- and just one block apart early Sunday morning, February 17th.

At 3:21 a.m., dispatchers got a call reporting smoke in the basement and fire alarms going off in a home near 12th and New St. Deputies responded to the scene and advised that they could see no active flames, but the house was filled with smoke.

At 3:27 a.m., deputies located a second fire just one block away. This was an active garage fire with vehicles in the garage.

People living in or near both burning structures were safely removed -- and there were no injuries.

Crystal Bennett woke up Sunday morning to authorities alerting her that her garage, next to her home on New Street was on fire. She panicked and quickly ran downstairs.

Bennett says the flames charred a majority of what was stored inside.

"We have a lot of our summer stuff, summer clothes, kids' toys, bikes, his dad has his boat in there," Bennett said.

Fire officials say the fire extended up to the roof of the structure. Bennett says she is just thankful it was caught in time.

As fire officials try to determine the official cause of these early morning fires, Bennett has her own suspicions.

"The one door we open and close all the time wasn`t frozen and that was opened when police got here so it`s pretty easy for someone to slide through over there and do what they did," Bennett said.

Investigators are now conducting an investigation. It is unknown at this time the cause of either fire, whether they are related or any damage amounts.

Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.