Some families spent the day after Christmas sorting through the remains of their damaged homes.

Fire scorched three houses on Stellar Lane in Nicholsville early Christmas morning. Fire investigators say it's one in a rash of fires around the area recently that they're calling suspicious.

"I don't reckon it's really set in," said David Lyons.

Lyons, who was playing Santa Claus on Christmas Eve night, had just left his daughters home, when he says, the night sky lit up.

"I don't know I just turned and looked and the barn was on fire I went back in and got the kids and my daughter out," Lyons said.

Moments later, he says, they watched as the room where his daughter and grandchildren were asleep, swallowed up by fire.

"I am just so thankful to God, everyone's okay," he said.

Next door and preparing all day for her Christmas Celebration.

"I cleaned cooked all day Saturday," said Paula Butcher.

Paula Butcher and her husband, escaped just in time. Their home wasn't destroyed but suffered extensive smoke and water damage.

"I've never been so scared in my life," Butcher said.

Thankful to be alive, Butcher says, she's remaining positive.

"As bad as it is, it could have been much worse," she said.

David Lyons agrees with his daughters neighbor.

"We honestly could have been planning a funeral today instead of cleaning up," Lyons said

Investigators say the mere fact they've been called to several fires in the same area of town in such a short period of time, it's unlikely a coincidence, that's why they believe they are being set intentionally.

"They need to be stopped before somebody gets killed," Butcher said.

Damage estimates go well into the 10's of thousands of dollars. Nicholasville Police is asking anyone with information about these fires to call them.