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JERREY ROBERTS

Firefighters stand beside a house where two people died in a fire Sunday on Fair Street in Northampton.

NORTHAMPTON - Two people died today in an early-morning house fire in Northampton, victims of one of eight separate blazes that occurred in 90 minutes that fire and police investigators call suspicious. In all, 14 fire departments responded the blazes, which took place between 2 and 3:15 a.m.

All of the fires took place in a half-mile radius of downtown. The people who died were occupants of a Fair Street home that was destroyed in the blaze, according to Northampton Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Norris, who spoke at the Carlon Drive fire station this morning.

The street list identifies the occupants of that home as Paul Yeske Sr., 81, Paul Yeske Jr., 39, and Elaine Yeske, 73. Authorities said today that two male residents of the home died, while one survived; officials had not yet officially released the names of the fire victims.

Four of the fires were in buildings; four were motor vehicle fires, Norris said. He said it appears someone tried to start two other fires, at a house and a motor vehicle, but was unsuccessful.

Addresses where structure fires occurred include 17 Fair St., 26 Union St., 32 Highland Ave. and 14-16 Northern Ave. A car was burned at 29 Williams St. Addresses for other fire locations had not yet been released.

"It's suspicious that you would have eight fires in an hour and a half in relatively small area of town," said Norris.

City and state fire officials were investigating the fires this morning, although they have yet to confirm that they were the result of arson. More than two dozen police officers, including members of state police units, are canvassing Northampton neighborhoods this morning, questioning people about the fires.

Norris said firefighters were initially called to a fire at a Union Street home. While battling that blaze, he said the department received multiple calls of other structure and vehicle fires in the area.

The second fire was reported on Highland Avenue, the third on Fair Street and the fourth on Northern Avenue, which involved a garage.

In all, firefighters responded to structure fires on Fair Street, Union Street, Highland Avenue and Northern Avenue, Williams Street and Pomeroy Terrace. Vehicle fires also took place on Fair Street, Williams Street, Pomeroy Terrace and Crescent Street. Multiple car fires were reported on North Street.

At 26 Union St. fire, two residents were able to get out to safety after the house began to burn.

A Northampton police officer taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for treatment after suffering an injury while investigating the fire of two porches on Highland Avenue.

Fire departments from Amherst, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Hadley, Hatfield, Westhampton, Greenfield, Goshen, Whately, Chesterfield, Holyoke and South Hadley, District 1 and 2, were called to the various fires and continue to provide assistance.

A task force has been activated to investigate the fires, Norris said. Also, plans were being made this morning to call residents of Ward 3 to a Monday night meeting to discuss the fires and perhaps to organize a neighborhood watch program.

Police Sgt. Dorothy Clayton said city detectives are working with the State Police arson squad and the investigative unit attached to the district attorney's unit at locations where fires were reported, which are being treated as crime scenes.

Anyone with information that could be helpful in the investigation is asked to call 587-1100.