Two Fires in Vicksburg, Mississippi Could Be the Work of Arsonist

VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) -- Two fires, including a blaze that damaged one of the city's oldest homes, may have been deliberately set, investigators say.

No one was injured in the fires.

Evidence collected from McRaven tour home Saturday and Rusty's Riverfront Grill on Monday has been sent to the crime lab in Jackson, said Leslie Decareaux, arson investigator for the Vicksburg Fire Department. Both fires started on outside porches at night in areas not easily visible.

``Both buildings are in the downtown area, but more than a mile apart,'' Decareaux said.

Fire Chief Keith Rogers said that arson is almost certain in the blaze that destroyed the ceiling and attic at the restaurant. He said that the fire at McRaven likely began under the porch in a storage area where some flammables were stored.

Damage to the McRaven home, which dates to 1797, was mostly on the porch.