Fire engulfs homes in Brisbane suburb, forcing evacuation of nearby residents

A raging house fire in Brisbane forced the evacuation of around a dozen residents as it tore through multiple buildings

The fire started at 3am on Thursday before it spread, destroying a vacant property next door and damaging two others on Heaslop Street in Woolloongabba.

Ten to fifteen neighbours were evacuated as authorities set up an exclusion zone, which is yet to be revoked.

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Police also put public safety preservation acts in place, covering Heaslop Street, Merton Road, Catherine Street, and Annerley Road.

"It moved so quickly from the first house to three houses that I thought my house was going [up too]," Neighbour Amelia Salmon told 9News.

Fire Authorities said the fire could be been much worse if it wasn't contained.

"Given that all the houses in the street are made of wood and they're very close together, this is a fire that could've spread very quickly, to a lot more houses," Tim Watkins from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said.

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the blaze.