More than 100 concerned neighbors packed Sanford City Hall Wednesday night to learn more about a recent string of arsons torching vacant homes in the Sanford area over the past few weeks. 

“We have a nine year old, we have a five year old, we have a 9-month-old little baby, and then we have  13-year-old and a 17 year-old. There’s five kids in the house that were all asleep and I was on my way to go to sleep, that’s when I saw the fire outside the window," began Sanford Resident Angelica Koryanas, who attended the meeting because she wants to help investigation and in turn keep her family safe. 

Koryanas lives near Palmetto Avenue, which is one of the hardest hit streets by arson in Sanford over the past several weeks. 

News 13 stopped by a home on Palmetto and 18th Street which was set on fire over the past weekend.

At that particular home, the smell of charred wood still permeates the air several days later.

“It’s pretty scary and honestly I heard about the fires but when it happened two doors away. That made it reality. That it’s happening all over the neighborhood and how close it is to home because we have all those kids in our house so that’s pretty scary," Koryanas added.

Meanwhile, state investigators for the Fire Marshal's Office did not release any new information about their active investigation during the community meeting.  

However, Sanford Police and Sanford Fire are urging citizens to call them directly with tips or call CRIMELINE with those same tips if you want to remain anonymous.

“I think the biggest thing we’re doing is we’re sharing information with the Sanford Police Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. If we get a lead in from a citizen or any kind of email information we forward it over to them and there followed up with immediately, so we’re sharing that information and we’re working cooperatively with them," explained Sanford Fire Chief Craig Radzak. 

“Our message again is being vigilante, paying attention to who is in your community, paying attention to who is going up and down the alleys. If you see something in the middle of the night, if it’s disturbing to you; call the police," added Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith. 

Right now, eight different agencies are working together to solve the nine arson cases.  

Investigators shared with neighbors that all of the fires have happened after dark, specifically between midnight and 6 a.m.