Investigators are working to determine what caused a fast-moving fire that destroyed two homes in Point Pleasant Borough on Thursday afternoon.

The fire broke out shortly before 3 p.m. on the 1300 block of Sunrise Avenue. Neighbors say they heard multiple explosions before seeing flames engulf one of the homes.

"I heard a loud boom. I thought it was an accident in front of my house and then when I looked over, the second house on Sunrise, it blew up," said neighbor Jane Schofield. "Then a second boom, and the whole side just caught on fire."

Heavy smoke and flames quickly spread from one home to another as firefighters rushed to the scene.

Point Pleasant Borough Fire Chief Charlie Willever said strong, shifting winds made the fire especially challenging to fight.

"These are few and far between," Willever said. "Everything was just right — the fire, the wind. The wind was gusting at times and swirling, so it was all in the right spot at the right time."

Officials say a woman and her dog, who were inside one of the homes when the fire started, were able to escape safely.

Neighbors watched as firefighters battled the blaze and tried to prevent it from spreading further.

"I've never seen a house blow up like that," Schofield said. "I just feel bad because they just redid their house."

Both homes suffered significant damage and have been deemed uninhabitable.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.