FREEPORT — Authorities still are investigating fires that started in two vacant houses this week.

Chief Scott Jones of the Freeport Volunteer Fire Department said the causes of both Wednesday night’s fire at 592 Franklin St. and the one Monday morning at 611 Market St. have not yet been determined.

State police fire marshals from both the New Castle and the Butler barracks are working on a case each.

Jones said there is nothing definitive linking both fires.

“(But) there are similarities,” he said.

Jones said he couldn’t be more specific about what those similarities are while the investigations were active.

He said when crews arrived at the Franklin Street fire after the 11:01 p.m. call there was smoke coming out of the house’s windows and flames shooting out the rear of the building.

“The back of the house was completely engulfed,” Jones said.

Although the two-story house was a total loss, firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to adjacent homes that were occupied.

Being sloped and with one way traffic, Franklin Street provided challenges for fire crews. Bitter temperatures also necessitated frequent rotation of firefighters.

Jones had not yet confirmed that a bank owns the vacant house.

The fire on Monday spread from the vacant house to two adjacent homes, destroying the one at 609 Market St.

That house’s occupants, the Flemm family, are staying with relatives.

Jones said the borough has had more than its share of fires recently.

“I hope that’s it for a good while,” he said.