At about 1pm local fire and police officials responded to a call about a house fire in the ward of Ly Long. When they arrived on scene, emergency crews found two homes engulfed in flames.

Officials said the smoke and heavy winds made battling the blaze a challenge for them, but they were able to contain the fire quickly.

Two other homes were also consumed by the fire and another four houses in the surrounding area were severely affected by smoke and heat damage.

No one was injured in the inferno but numerous homes in the area were evacuated when it broke out.

A total of about two dozen firefighters and three fire engines were at the scene fighting the blaze for an estimated two hours.

Fire investigators said it is too early to say how it started.