East Cleveland firefighters battled a large fire that destroyed one home and damaged a second on Ardenell Avenue just after midnight Wednesday.
East Cleveland firefighters said the original fire started in a home that squatters have been using and it spread to a neighboring home.
Firefighters said when they arrived the first house was already fully engulfed and the second was beginning to burn. The first home mostly collapsed during the fire.
East Cleveland firefighters said they only had 12 firefighters on-duty at the time of the fire and with two homes on fire they were forced to call for help from Cleveland and Cleveland Heights.
No injuries were reported but firefighters said they had not been able to get inside the home that neighbors said was being used by squatters, in order for them to check inside.
