ST. LOUIS — Neighbors had to evacuate late Monday night after a fire engulfed two vacant homes in south St. Louis' Patch neighborhood.
The St. Louis Fire Department received a call for a fire at 11:23 p.m. on the 200 block of East Steins Street. Fire Captain Garon Mosby said a fire started in a vacant home and quickly spread to another.
Four people had to escape from a neighboring home, Mosby said.
Chris and Allison Shields live upstairs and said they woke up to orange flames through the window. Their neighbors were banging on their back door trying to get their attention.
No one was injured in the fire.
The two vacant homes are a total loss. Firefighters had to tear out walls on the east side of the neighboring building to minimize fire damage, causing moderate damage to the building.