A fire that started in a dumpster overnight in an alleyway in Hillcrest spread to a nearby duplex in minutes, forcing a resident out of his home.
The dumpster went up in flames around 3 a.m. in the 3600 block of 5th Avenue. It then spread to nearby trashcans, with flames melting the plastic before creeping onto a corner duplex and getting dangerously close to power lines.
Firefighters were able to knock out the blaze quickly, but the damage was already done to the home. The resident was displaced but unharmed, officials said.
No one else was injured either.
Now, officials are looking into what caused the fire – and whether it may have been a case of arson. The investigation is ongoing.
