As fire investigators try to figure out what caused a Dale City fire, documents filed in Prince William County (web|news) Circuit Court show arson may be to blame.

On July 16 around 4:30 p.m., the fire started in the 13000 block of Keating Drive.

"The roar of the fire was so fast, so quick. It was scary," said neighbor Van Claybrooks. Neighbors say the house just went up in flames in 15 minutes. The fire even burned the houses on each side, making them unlivable.

"It was so big. I never seen nothing like that," said neighbor Veronica Vargas. Investigators won't say on record, but court records indicate they're thinking arson. A search warrant was obtained to take soil samples and debris from the fire for testing.

"The flames were leaping," said Claybrooks. The heat alone melted Claybrooks' vinyl siding across the street. He says some fishy things did happen at the home before the fire. "There was an awful lot of moving going on before the fire; even the night before the fire."

The house was described as one that was under perpetual renovation. It had grown to four times the size of neighboring homes, with seven bedrooms. But work stopped in 2007, leaving the home unfinished. Neighbors worry perhaps the owner ran out of money.

"I just know what the guy down there said. He said that he lost the house. That's how he phrased it. I guess he foreclosed on it."

At least 11 people were displaced because of the fire and it's believed some pets may have died in the blaze.

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