Teens arrested after fire destroys one home, damages 4 others

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Officials say two teens are arrested after they say a group of teenagers damaged multiple homes by setting a fire in Lithonia Friday evening.  

According to DeKalb County Fire, one of the houses on Wellborn Creek Drive was destroyed. Four others were damaged in the intentional blaze.

Saturday afternoon, officials announced they have arrested two unnamed teens and charged them with arson. Detectives say several other teenagers were involved in the fire as well.

Kasseem and Amarii Stevens said they could see a huge ball of smoke from a block away. They ran down the street and saw a wall of fire. 

"That was the worst fire I've ever seen in my life! It was a raging inferno," said Kasseem. 

Firefighters said as they fought the blaze, they were also battling the wind. 

"When we got over there, a gust of wind came, I saw smoke flying," said Amarii. 

The wind fanned the flames, pushing the fire to a neighboring home. 

"The decision was made to focus the attention to the houses nearby to make sure they didn't suffer major damage," said DeKalb Fire Rescue Capt. Dion Bentley. 

As fire traveled from home to home, many who live on the street began to worry about how far and how fast it would spread. 

"People seemed like they were panicking, pacing back and forth," said Amarii.

Firefighters said no one was injured but two families were displaced. The home where the fire started was vacant.