Photo by Sam Yu Fire burns through the roof a Deerbought townhouse on Monday.

No one was injured during the blaze, according to Walkersville firefighters at the scene. The cause of the fire, which started around 7:15 p.m., was unknown.

Townhouses at 1580 and 1578 Wheyfield Drive were destroyed. A third townhouse, 1576 Wheyfield Drive, was damaged as a result of the fire.

Ari Hernandez, a Dearbought resident, saw the flames and called 911.

"I saw the smoke and I thought, 'This is not regular smoke,'" Mr. Hernandez said. "This is a fire. It took two to three minutes to spread all over the place. It went just like this," he said as he snapped his fingers.

Mr. Hernandez used his cellular phone not only to call for help but to take pictures of the fire.

"When the firefighters arrived, they were fast," Mr. Hernandez said. "Everybody got out, thank God."

After calling 911, Mr. Hernandez saw the owner of one of the houses on the corner of Wheyfield Drive and Willow Grove Road screaming and holding a small child and a dog.

The entrance to Dearbought was closed shortly after emergency personnel arrived. Flares, cones and two firemen helped to direct traffic away from the scene of the fire.

After firefighters put out the flames, the huge crowds that had gathered in huddled groups saw the two townhouses had been gutted by flames and were missing their roofs.

"I feel so bad for the families," Marianna Bolin said. "All their memories ... gone."

Her husband, Father William Bolin of The Gathering, a Family of Faith Episcopal Church, came to offer counseling and prayer.

"I thought, if anybody needed anything, I'd be available to them," Mr. Bolin said.