Police suspect arson in multiple New Castle house fires

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Fires simultaneously destroyed five vacant homes in the city Saturday morning, the city fire department reported.

The calls came in around 3 a.m. at houses in a four- or five-block area near the county government center, the department said. The houses were on Chestnut, Ray, Court and Mulberry streets.

Some of the homes were being fixed up and residents were going to be moving in, the department said.

The department said that the state police fire marshal is investigating the blazes as arson.