2 vacant homes in Winnipeg neighbourhood go up in flames

Some residents of Winnipeg's Weston neighbourhood say they're worried for their safety after two vacant homes were damaged by fire early Thursday morning.

The first fire started at the back of a vacant house in the 1500 block of Alexander Avenue just after 12:30 a.m., while the second fire happened at a vacant property in the 300 block of Lock Street at around 1 a.m.

Crews responded to two house fires in Winnipeg's West End early Thursday morning. This vacant home on Lock Street went up in flames around 1 a.m. (Meaghan Ketcheson/CBC)A lot of debris remained from the Alexander Avenue house fire. Damages are pegged at $125,000.

Estimated damages were not immediately known for the Lock Street residence.

No one was injured in either blaze but Allan Bear, who lives nearby, said he's afraid that someone could have been hurt.

"When they do stuff like that they don't realize, like, the safety for the children next door and the people that are living next door. So it's kind of stupid, I think," he said.

Firefighters were called around 12:30 a.m. Thursday to put out a fire that started in the back of this vacant home in the 1,500 block of Alexander Avenue. (Meaghan Ketcheson/CBC)Bear said he wants surveillance cameras installed in the area to prevent arson, while Tovah Wilder said the homes should be made less attractive for firebugs.

"I would like to see them, you know, if not bought, at least rented out to people who need them. That way they're not vacant, someone could be using them, and they're not going to be a huge target," said Wilder.

Both house fires are under investigation. Neither police nor fire officials have confirmed that the fires are arson cases.