THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

Derrick Gayle said he hadn&8217;t been long walking in before he heard something next door.

The abandoned house at 1219 Marie Foster St. sent Gayle and his family out in the cold after 10:30 Monday night.

The house was abandoned, but neighbors said they had been noticing a homeless woman staying there from time to time. Neighbors were relieved to see her round the corner. She was not inside.

Firefighters battled the blaze for 20 minutes, which had already spread to the roof of the old, wood-framed structure. A search proved the house was empty.

Police blocked off Marie Foster Street as firefighters brought the flames under control. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.