An early-morning fire has displaced residents of several townhouses near downtown Frederick.
Firefighters were called to the 300 block of South Market Street near the Maryland School for the Deaf just before 1 a.m. Monday. The fire started at 327 South Market Street before spreading to neighboring homes.
"I'm really lucky to be alive, you know. Another five minutes' sleep and I would've been, you know, I would've been in it," said Craig Housler, who escaped his home just minutes before it went up in flames.
Housler said he watched as the fire destroyed his home and then spread to his neighbors' homes.
The Civil War-era homes did not have sprinkler systems or modern fire walls.
A total of 10 townhouses were damaged in the fire, six severely.
Police Sgt. Thomas Tokarz said no injuries have been reported, and all residents have been accounted for.
