IFD investigates five overnight fires - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

IFD crews spent the night fighting a series of suspicious fires just north of downtown Wednesday morning. 

Arson investigators have been called to five different locations between the 800 block of Pennsylvania and the 1300 block of North New Jersey - roughly a ten block area - on fires that were dispatched in just over an hour's time.

Lt. Larry Tracy of IFD said the fires are 'suspicious' but could not confirm any were intentionally set until investigations are complete.

Two fires on east 13th Street originated on porches within ten minutes of each other.  They were the last two dispatched, between 2:46 and 2:56 a.m.

Karl and Kenny Nowling, twin brothers, say theirs is a 97-year-old home one of the brothers bought and has spent the past 30 years renovating.  One was asleep in basement, the other upstairs when he heard a noise then noticed smoke coming into home. 

Crews needed 20 minutes to put out their porch, but not before the fire did an estimated $70,000 damage.

A neighbor is helping with clean up and he offered the carriage house to his home until the Nowlings get on their feet.  They do have insurance. 

They say police tell them the fire was the work if an arsonist, but the arson team is still investigating.

Another fire at a home that appeared to be undergoing restoration at 10th and Delaware closed traffic on Delaware between 10th and 11th Streets between 2:15 and 3:00 a.m.  Downed power lines created a hazard for firefighters, and they took 30 minutes to put the blaze under control, according to Tracy.

The damage estimate on the Delaware house is $10,000. Nobody was injured in the fire, which rekindled shortly after 4:00 a.m., requiring crews to return to the scene.

The first two suspicious fires were trash fires near the Central Library on St. Clair at 1:47 a.m. and the American Legion Headquarters at Pennsylvania and Walnut at 1:56 a.m.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.  Kris Kirschner will report live on Sunrise beginning at 4:30 a.m.