Three OBX fires ruled suspicious

WAVES, N.C. (WAVY) - Three vacant rental homes in the village of Waves on the Outer Banks of North Carolina caught fire in the last three weeks.

The Dare County Sheriff's Office has ruled all three suspicious.

The first fire at 25215 Sea Vista Drive was reported Feb. 5 at 11:23 p.m., according to Chief Deputy Steve Hoggard. Deputies says the origin of the fire appears to be in the vicinity of an outdoor shower.

A second vacant property at 25216 Midgett Way, within walking distance of the first, caught fire Feb. 9 around 1 a.m., according to Hoggard.

One neighbor who saw the second fire told WAVY.com the house burned to the ground in about 20 minutes.

"The one was the biggest flames I've ever seen in my life," said Steve Myers, who lives nearby. "It was actually melting the road it was so hot."

The third fire at 25223 Sea Vista Drive was reported Sunday around 8:30 p.m.. Deputies say it started in a hot tub behind the property and damage did not spread to the larger structure.

Records show two of the property owners are from Hampton Roads, one from Chesapeake and the other from Virginia Beach.

The third property owner resides in Maryland, according to property records. Hoggard says he does not suspect property owners of having any involvement in the fires. 

At this time, the Sheriff's Office is working leads, but has not identified any suspects.

Hoggard says there was no obvious evidence of flammable liquids found at the three scenes, but samples of debris have been submitted for analysis. 

Meanwhile, investigators are canvassing the neighborhood and conducting interviews to gather more information about the three fires.

Neighbors have taken it upon themselves to patrol the perimeters of homes during the night.

"The biggest concern is nobody wants to be next," said Myers.

To contact the Dare County Sheriff's Office, call the Community Crime Line at (800) 745-2746.