Neighbors worried after four fires set at vacant homes on their street in Hyattsville

There's a quaint charm about this block of Gallatin Street in Hyattsville, Maryland. It's got a mix of longtime residents, new neighbors — and ones still to come.

"They're all very nice people. I mean, really nice people," said Fern Edwards, who lives on the street.

But earlier this week, things weren't so quaint and quiet.

"Four o'clock in the morning, I'm awakened by all these fire trucks out here," Edwards said. "That's scary."

Prince George’s County fire officials say there were two small fires Wednesday morning at one house, and two more at the home across the street.

Both are currently vacant. Edwards said they're under renovation right now, but in the meantime, people who need shelter are coming onto the properties. She says she’s concerned for their safety and her neighbors’ safety.

On Friday, a contractor was there to clean up one of the properties. Among the items that came out: mattresses, bottles and even a fire extinguisher -- signs that someone is living here who shouldn’t be. There's no power or heat in the home to this home, so it's not the best of living conditions for anyone.

That's of equal concern to neighbors.

"They're human beings, and we're human too, and we need to help them," Edwards said.

"We need some kind of shelter for them around here," another neighbor said.

The houses are boarded up now, and the county has a nuisance abatement board with members from fire department and police department. There's legislation before the council to compile a list of vacant properties.

While it doesn't look like these properties will be vacant for long, it's the interim that worries neighbors.

"It's very scary for me," Edwards said.

All of the fires are under investigation.