Local fire

officials suspect arson may have played a role in a fire that totally

destroyed an unoccupied home on Corinth Road on Christmas Day.

Anyone with

information about the incident is asked to contact the Fayette County

Fire Marshall at 770-461-1321, ext. 5172.

The blaze was

called in at 5 p.m., and when firefighters arrived, three-quarters of

the structure was covered in flames, said Capt. Pete Nelms of the Fayette

County Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

At the time

of the fire, there was an active natural gas leak in the structure, Nelms

said. Atlanta Gas Light crews responded to assist in mitigating that hazard,

he added.

A storage building

behind the residence also caught fire, Nelms said.

The house was

very old and built with heavy timber, Nelms said. Neighbors said the house

had not been occupied for about one year, he added.