The Easton Fire Department is seeking the public's help after determining the origin of a second fire that destroyed a duplex early Saturday morning is suspicious.

Fire Chief John Bast asks anyone who saw or heard anything about the blaze to call the city fire marshal at 610-250-6671.

After the investigation is complete, the homes will be torn down, Bast said. City codes administration Stephen Noworski has already been to the scene, Bast said.

A fire was initially reported just after 11:30 p.m. Friday at 945 W. Lincoln St. on the city's South Side. Fire damage was contained mostly to the third floor with lesser damage to the attached 943 W. Lincoln, Bast said.

Fred Diehl, who owns 945 W. Lincoln, was inside after the first fire and said he felt the home could be repaired. After the second fire, he said the place was "done."

City firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to determine the first fire was out, Bast said.

"It's something we do all the time," he added.

They left by 4 a.m., but were called back at 4:47 a.m. with the second fire "pretty well along," Bast said.

Easton fire Feb. 18, 2017

The extent of the second fire is leading officials toward a conclusion "it may have been set," Bast said.

Two adults and five children escaped 945 W. Lincoln without injury, Diehl said. Four adults were living in the rental property next door, Bast said. That home is owned by a Macungie couple, tax records indicate. The only injury reported was a firefighter turning over an ankle, Deputy Chief Kevin Arnold said.

It's still possible there was a single "ember in the wall" that escaped firefighters' notice and that ignited a disastrous rekindle, Bast said.

"All it takes is a glow," he added.

But the fire department will work with the city police department and insurance companies to see if it was deliberately set, Bast said.

"We're taking a real close look at if it was intentionally set," Bast said. For the fire "to go that far and for us to be that far behind (upon arrival). We had people there until 4 a.m."

In the next 45 minutes, the fire took hold of the upper floors on both sides, roaring through the roof and several windows, Bast said. 

As with any other fire, investigators will search the scene and talk to people in the neighborhood, Bast said. The firefighters who first arrived will act as eyes and ears for investigators and will be interviewed as well, Bast said.

Investigators will take a "systematic approach," starting with areas that are least burned and working their way to the heaviest damage, Bast said.

But the fire, especially at the top of the buildings where the roof burned through, was devastating.

"That's the problem with fire," Bast said. "It destroys the evidence."

Fire hits same Easton house twice

It's too early in the probe to consider the first fire suspicious, but Bast said his current concern is the second blaze.

Firefighters did get to spend time inside the homes between fires and Bast said he was fairly certain the first fire was out well before the second began.

"If someone lit it, I want to catch the person who did it," Bast said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

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