Investigators are searching for a person of interest after a fire destroyed one house and spread to two others last week in Somerville, Massachusetts.
The fire broke out around 11:52 p.m. Wednesday on Thurston Street, authorities said.
Flames could be seen shooting from a house that was under construction. That building, which was empty, has since collapsed.
Two other nearby homes caught fire, though, and people inside those houses had to escape.
Police are asking for the public's help identifying a man seen in a surveillance image. Neighbors are also being asked to check their home security cameras for footage of any pedestrians in the area between 8:30 and 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Katie Lyons lives in one of the homes where the flames spread. She told NBC10 Boston that she was sitting on the couch watching TV when she smelled a strong odor of smoke.
"So I kind of got up, and walked around and then just saw the flames next-door," Lyons said. "I just needed to get out of the house and wake up my roommate and get her out."
Everyone got out, and no injuries were reported.
The fire chief tells NBC10 Boston that this was a tough scene since they had to try to save the other two homes on both sides and prevent the fire from spreading further.
"We were overwhelmed from the start that's why we struck a second alarm immediately on arrival and a third alarm shortly after," said Somerville Fire Chief Charles Breen.