Authorities had a person in custody Tuesday night after Little Rock firefighters responded to several fires in the same neighborhood in about a 45-minute span, a spokesman said.
Firefighters were called to four fires north of Cantrell Road and west of University Avenue in the Heights neighborhood, said Capt. Jason Weaver, a Fire Department spokesman.
The fires appeared "suspicious in nature" given the timeline and their proximity to one another, he said.
Lt. Steve McClanahan, a Police Department spokesman, said authorities had detained a person of interest in connection with the fires. It was unclear Tuesday night whether charges had been filed.
The Fire Department will investigate the fires separately and determine if arson was the cause, Weaver said. He said the Fire Department would work with Little Rock police in the investigation.
Nobody was hurt in the fires.
In the first fire, Little Rock firefighters were called to the 6900 block of Skywood Road at 7:15 p.m., Weaver said.
Smoke was flowing from the front of the residence, and firefighters had to enter the house from the back, he said. The fire was in the basement, he said.
Less than 15 minutes after responding to that fire, authorities were called to another fire in the 6500 block of Brentwood Road, less than a half mile from the Skywood address, Weaver said.
Beverly Florida, who lives in the neighborhood, said she was in the area and saw debris burning under the carport attached to the home. She said she heard the fire crackling and popping as flames 3 to 5 feet high shot up underneath the carport.
The homeowner was not at the residence when the fire began, she said. The fire at the Brentwood residence did not spread to the entire house, Weaver said.
Minutes after that blaze, at 7:49 p.m., firefighters were called to a fire in the 2100 block of Durwood Road, less than a mile from the Brentwood address.
At that residence, a fire that began under the carport had progressed to the attic, he said.
In the fourth fire, Little Rock firefighters were called to a wooded area near Kings Row Drive, Weaver said. He said firefighters put out a small fire there.
Weaver said a white male was seen acting suspicious around a carport before the fire at the Durwood address, and other suspicious activity was reported at other fires.
Metro on 05/10/2017