Sixteen firefighting units and nearly 40 personnel were involved in fighting a pair of fires early Saturday morning off North Derbigny and St. Anthony Streets in the Seventh District.
Units responded just after 3am to find the rear of two homes, one occupied, one abandoned, on fire with flames shooting through the rooves of both structures.
The size of the incident and possibility of persons trapped prompted the request for a second alarm at 3:28 a.m.
An elderly couple residing in the duplex at 1820-22 N. Derbigny St. had escaped safely prior to NOFD arrival.
The male resident explained to firefighters that earlier the previous day he had chased vagrants out of the abandoned property at 1818 N. Derbigny St.
Firefighters determined the blaze started in the abandoned property and extended to the occupied dwelling next door.
The cause of the fire is suspicious.
The Red Cross is helping the couple displaced by the fire find temporary housing.