A single-story duplex housing two families of five on the 200 block of East Willard Street sustained damage when a fire broke out Friday afternoon in the back of the residence, Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) spokesman Jake Heflin said.

No injuries were reported, though firefighters had to wake a 14-year-old resident sleeping in one of the units, get him out of the house and continue extinguishing the fire.

A mother and her three young children residing in the adjacent unit were able to smell the fire, and quickly evacuated.

Authorities said firefighters were on the scene within minutes of the dispatch call and extinguished the fire just five minutes after arriving at 4:56PM.

One of the units sustained significant damage to the rear bedroom, bathroom and attic, causing the family occupying the unit to become displaced. A vehicle parked in the back driveway of the home also caught fire due to its proximity, according to authorities. 

Firefighters said they were able to board up the roof of the attic, allowing the second family to remain at the residence.

Fire investigators on site were not yet able to determine the origin of the fire, which is still under investigation.

Officials said they gave both families SAVE cards worth $100 to help fulfill immediate needs such as food, clothing or lodging.

A second fire occurred later in the evening, around 6:00PM, just a few blocks away on the 1500 block of Pine Avenue, at a vacant two-story apartment complex, authorities said.

The small fire was quickly extinguished and appeared to have accidentally be started by plumbers working on vacant units on the second level earlier in the day, Heflin said.

He added that no one was on the property, which sustained moderate damage, when the fire broke out.

Photos by Stephanie Rivera