The first one started around 5:30 a.m. in the 1700 block Cardinal Circle off North Plymouth Street, near Grove Street.
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No one was injured. The house had been vacant for weeks, according to officials.
About an hour later, heavy smoke was seen pouring out of another home on Whisker Lake Drive near LA Dunham Road and Cedar Creek Road.
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The home's owner, Berry Malloy, told ABC11 that he was on his way to work as a maintenance worker for the Cumberland County Schools when he got a call telling him his house was on fire.
He said his 12-year-old grandson and his sister-in-law were home at the time and made it out safely.
"He was up, getting ready to go to school, and he spotted the fire and he went and got my sister-in-law up and told her let'' get out the house," Malloy said. "I thank the Lord that nobody got hurt and all of us are safe, but what the Lord got for you, he got better things for us."
He said he thinks an electric heater started the fire.
"Trying to save energy and electricity we had one of them and I think it's probably just got too hot and just burned," Malloy said.
Officals later confirmed that the electric space heater was what sparked the blaze.
Malloy said he had taught his grandson how to get out of the house in case of fire.
"We have an escape route in the house, and if he couldn't have got out he knows what to do, he knows how to knock the window out, but I'm proud of him and I'm glad that I taught him them things," Malloy said.
The Red Cross has been called in to assist the family.
"Right now we need prayer, clothes and shelter," Malloy said.
Meanwhile, authorities have not said what sparked the fire at the home on Cardinal Circle.
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