Fires at two vacant homes within 10 minutes of each other early Tuesday morning are being investigated as arson, Yakima fire officials say.
Both homes, located less than a mile apart, had previously burned and were boarded up, according to a fire department news release. There was also evidence of arson at the one house, while fire officials said someone apparently forced their way into the second building.
Both fires are believed to be related, the release said. Firefighters were first called to the 600 block of North 16th Avenue around 2 a.m. to a boarded up duplex. Firefighters found the inside on fire, the release said.