HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point Fire Department is investigating a fire that destroyed one home and left damage in another.
Fire officials believe the fire was intentionally set, leaving one homeowner searching for answers.
News 2 spoke with a real estate investor who was in the process of repairing the homes. Ana Falcon is the owner of AM Falcon Investments and an educator.
Since 2019, Falcon has dedicated her time to buying distressed properties, fixing them up, and then renting them back out.
"The people that live in this community, I have known them, most of them, a lot of them, since they were in middle school. A lot [are] my former students because I have only taught in High Point schools and so, through the years of getting to know some of my students, the ones I made tight connections with I saw their living conditions," Falcon said.
She uses her passions to give back, but on July 5, she received an unexpected call from first responders involving two homes she purchased on Hobson Street that are right next door to each other.
"They told me both of the houses had caught on fire and one was really bad. So I rushed right over here. I'm only eight minutes away," Falcon said.
High Point Fire Marshal Christopher Weir said at the time of the incident, one of the homes had fire coming out of the roof leaving extensive damage.
"I’m going to be replacing the entire roof system, including trusses. I have to reframe the back of the house. I have to do everything to it, new installation, floors, electrical, plumbing, kitchen, which I was already going to do, bathroom walls, everything," said Falcon.
The second home was not damaged as badly because the fire was caught in time by first responders.
The fire marshal said a door was partially opened at the home and evidence suggests that the fires could have been intentionally set.
"This is personal for me and so I just want to know who did it. I hope the community sees what I’m trying to do. I hope that the community will come forth and it leads to an arrest," said Falcon.
The home that was damaged the most only had five weeks until it was finished. She said now it will take four months.
"At the end of the day, this is not going to hold me back. I’m not going to pack up and go, I’m going to continue to fix these houses. I’m going to continue to invest in High Point," said Falcon.
Falcon says she will be giving a $2,000 reward to someone who comes forward with any information.
Fire officials say this investigation is ongoing.
