Arson is suspected in a fire that destroyed an abandoned houseon Mallalieu Drive near Busby Trail late Sunday afternoon, a fireofficial said.

“It was obviously set because there was no power to thebuilding,” said Lincoln County Fire Coordinator Clifford Galey.

Firefighters from the East Lincoln, Hog Chain and Ruth volunteerfire departments responded to the blaze around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, hesaid, and it was fully involved when they arrived.

Firefighters were unable to save the house or its contents, hesaid.

“It wasn’t being lived in, but there was some furniture andother things in there,” Galey said.

Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading anddamaging other buildings, however.

“We contained the fire and kept it off a lot of structures thatwere around,” Galey said.

There were no injuries sustained in fighting the fire.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department is investigating theblaze, Galey said, and he expected the arson investigator to visitthe fire scene today to begin determining the cause.

Anyone with information about the fire is urged to contact thesheriff’s department at (601) 833-5231 or Galey at (601)833-8561.