UPDATE: Squatters investigated as cause of Dayton fire; 2 houses sustain ‘significant damage’

DAYTON — Fire investigators believe squatters setting a fire to keep warm inside an abandoned house was the cause of a house fire that caused damage to two Dayton houses Monday morning.

>>PHOTOS: Crews work to extinguish house fire Monday morning on Hulbert Street in Dayton

Crews were dispatched to the area of Hulbert Street south of Xenia Avenue around 7 a.m. with first crews reporting heavy flames coming from the structure.

The fire had spread to a second, occupied house to the left of the original house and caused “significant damage” to both structures, Dayton Fire District Chief Mike Fasnacht told News Center 7′s James Rider.

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“Crews had their hands full making sure everybody was out of all the structures,” Fasnacht said.

The occupant of the house where the fire spread to will be displaced but is not considered a total loss and the occupant is receiving assistance from the Red Cross.

“She will not be able to re-enter her home for some time,” Fasnacht said.

The vacant house where the fire started is considered a total loss.

No injuries were reported in the fire, either by occupants or firefighters battling the blaze.

While the official cause of the fire is still under investigation, Fasnacht said signs point to squatters staying inside and trying to stay warm, with instances similar to this increasing this time of year.

“The squatters are trying to find places to stay. They are setting fires in homes that don’t have electric or any type of heating elements inside, so they are setting fires where we shouldn’t have fires,” Fasnacht said.

Fire investigators are on scene and are conducting a full investigation to determine the origin of the blaze.

Additional details were not released.

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Hulbert Street House Fire Dayton firefighters battled heavy flames from this house on Hulbert Street Monday morning. No injuries were initially reported. (James Rider/Staff)

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