Early-Morning Fires Investigated

El Paso Fire Department investigators believe a handful of dumpster fires and an apartment fire were intentionally set. Officials also think all the fires were set by the same person or persons.

The dumpster fires were called in to the fire department around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. All four of them were in Central El Paso. One of the blazes, which was near the intersection of Dyer Street and Johnson Avenue, happened about an hour before fire crews were called out to the same area to extinguish a blaze at an apartment complex at 3900 Hayes Avenue.

Fire crews managed to contain the blaze to the outside of the building. A couch and the wall along which it sat sustained most of the damage. Two families had to be evacuated from the complex, but the unit where the fire originated was not occupied at the time.

The Red Cross is assisting the families.

No arrests have been made. Officials told ABC-7 they received reports that four teens were seen in the areas where the fires broke out shortly beforehand.