Pocono Community Rocked by Suspicious Fires

Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County--

Fire crews have been busy in the Poconos -- investigators say three separate fires Wednesday at A Pocono Country Place all appear suspicious.

All three happened in a span of about 20 hours, and we're told the flames broke out in unoccupied homes.

One roaring blaze lit up the night sky inside the gated community near Tobyhanna.

The home at F-98 Boardwalk Drive was fully involved when firefighters arrived.

Flames tore through the entire building, blasting out from windows and the roof-- even rekindling a short time later-- requiring firefighters to respond a second time.

Neighbor Emil Sorensen recalled, "Just heard a lot of cracking, woke me up. I thought it was something on the back porch, or whatever. It's the third time today."

A second house at F-207 Boardwalk Drive sustained less damage, though charred areas around doors and windows were clearly visible.

Both fires started sometime after 11:00 Wednesday night.

Crews worked through the early morning hours Thursday putting them out.

A.P.C.P. Public Safety Chief Daniel Yeager noted, "This is a very quiet area of our community. Having something like this is definitely out of the norm."

A third fire was extinguished around 3:00 Wednesday morning-- just about a block away.

Now, neighbors say they're realizing the possibility that a firebug has targeted their community.

Sorensen continued, "The only thing I hope-- I hope they catch them before I do. Because I'm going to protect my house, that's the bottom line."

Yeager added, "We have a half dozen officers heavily concentrated on a small area here. Their focus is going to be locating anybody in the roads-- stopping, identifying, looking for any suspicious nature."

Again, all three homes were empty at the time these fires started.

There were no reported injuries.

All three fires at A Pocono Country Place are being investigated by a state police fire marshal.