NIAGARA FALLS, NY-- Two people were evacuated and assisted by the Red Cross as firefighters in Niagara Falls battled a large vacant house fire Saturday evening.

The fire started just after nine o clock on Niagara Avenue and after an explosion, extended to the occupied house next door.

Crews at the scene say that the fire is being investigated as possibly suspicious, and that the vacant home is a total loss.

The estimate of damage for the occupied home has not been released yet.