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Worse was the second blaze, on Marshall Street just off Slater Street, around 4 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1.
Firefighters arrived as flames jumped to the second house. Both became fully involved before what quickly became a four-alarmer spread to another residence -- and then to a fourth -- as they ramped up an exterior attack.
All of the homes were occupied, responders at the scene said, adding that more than two dozen people from nine families in all were displaced.
The good news is that there were no serious injuries reported.
No significant injuries were immediately reported in the first fire, either.
That one ignited shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday in a three-story wood-frame house -- believed vacant -- on East 32nd Street near 12th Avenue.
Fire officials sounded a second alarm almost immediately, followed by a third alarm barely 10 minutes later and, then, by the collapse. Firefighters had already mounted an exterior approach.
They also doused neighboring buildings, which suffered fire damage.
The fire was declared under control around 12:30 a.m.
Authorities were investigating the causes of each blaze.
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