New Bedford Firefighters were called to the scene of a home on Nelson St. twice on Monday night.

Fire Chief Michael Gomes says that crews were called out to 45 Nelson St. over reports of a potential arson at the residence.

"There was an investigation of a possible acclerant that had been poured in the building itself and presented a hazard we were investigating that, we were on scene approximately three hours doing so and mitigating the hazard involved," said Gomes.

As part of the investigation Gomes says that the residents were evacuated from the building and put under the care of the Red Cross.

Gomes says just a few hours later they were called back to the building and found the home engulfed in fire.

"The rear stairwell of the building was fully involved with fire, with the entire thrird floor involved with fire through the roof," said "crews were able to put a quick knockdown on the fire and hold it to the building of origin, we had exposures on both the B side and the Delta side that were less than ten feet away, so an outstanding job by the personnell."

The incident is under investigation by the State Fire Marshall's Office, New Bedford Police, and the New Bedford Fire Department.

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