SOUTH POINT — An early morning fire a week ago at a South Point duplex that displaced two young families has been ruled arson.

Now the fire marshal’s office is asking the public for help. Anyone who may have witnessed anything concerning the fire or heard someone talking about the blaze with information not publicly known is asked to contact the Division of State Fire Marshall — Fire Investigation Bureau at 1-800-589-2728.

A call came in at 1:38 the morning of Sunday, Dec. 9, at Lawrence County 911 dispatchers. Fire departments from South Point Volunteer, Burlington, Fayette No. 2 and Perry Township were on the scene for about seven hours.

The duplex was destroyed leaving the families of Michelle and Johnny Sammons and Sandra Sipps homeless.

Details on the cause and origin of the fire are not being released at this time, according to Shane Cartmill, public information officer for the fire marshal’s office.