Arson investigators inspecting fire at abandoned Vancouver home

Vancouver firefighters knocked down a fire at an abandoned house near Kingsway and Miller StreetTuesday they say appears to have been deliberately set.

Battalion chief Kevin Wilson saidfirefighters were able to getinto the building and fought the fire on the first two floors.

"The fire managed to get into the walls, and we continued to battle it for the next hour," he said.

• Police seek public's help after 25 suspicious fires at vacant homes in Vancouver

This isn't the first time firefighters have been called to a fire at that particular building.

"We have been here numerous times. The house has been boarded up," Wilson said.

"We have a suspected set fire ... the arson investigator is on scene. He will be investigating."

25 suspicious fires

EricCastonguay, who lives a few houses down from the one that was on fire, said he was walking back from the bus station around 10:30 a.m. PT when he saw a man come out of the housefrom a basement window, hop on a bike and ride away.

Castonguay said it all seemednormal, and he didn't give it any more thought.

"Not even five minutes later, I heard someone screaming 'fire in the house, fire in the house," he said.

"I came out of my house and I saw the air was full of smoke."

Castonguay said he described the man to police officers.

There have been at least 25 suspicious fires invacanthomesin Vancouver so far this year, according to the police.

They are asking for the public's help in identifying those responsible.

Investigators are working to determine a motive and if any of these fires are related.