Police and fire officials are investigating a “suspicious” fire that damaged a home in the Smokerise Estates subdivision Sunday night, according to Police Chief James Murray.

The house at 201 Clear Springs had visible flames from the rear of the structure when firefighters responded to the scene just after 10:30 p.m., said Assistant Fire Chief Ed Eiswerth.

The home was unoccupied at the time, Eiswerth noted.

Firefighters stayed on the scene for an extended period of time to make sure that hot spots didn’t rekindle the fire, Eiswerth said.

The Georgia Fire Marshal’s office used its K-9 unit to search the home for the scent of any accelerant that might have been used to start the fire, Murray indicated.