Chief: 3 neighborhood fires suspicious

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) - Firefighters in New Bedford and nearby towns fought three separate fires in the same neighborhood early Wednesday.

• Photos: 3 separate fires considered suspicious

The first blaze started around 2:30 on Wednesday morning, it was coming from a lawn care truck in the driveway of 166 Park street.

The New Bedford Fire Department quickly put out the blaze, and little damage to the surrounding homes was reported.

Shortly after, emergency crews were called to a house on Sycamore street, only a few blocks away from the initial blaze. Another fire had sparked up at an abandoned home and the building suffered moderate damage.

Neighbors say that the house had been broken into before and many believe that the fire was man-made.

A few minutes later, a third fire was reported at the corner of Ash and Mill streets in an abandoned building owned by a nearby church. The building was severely damaged by the flames.

New Bedford Fire Chief, Robert Frates said, "That doesn't usually happen. All of our investigators are out talking to neighbors. So I would say it's definitely suspicious."