Firefighters at the scene of a fire that gutted a home in Oxley on Monday said the blaze was being treated as suspicious.
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Police say the house on Newman-Morris Circuit and a car parked outside have been completely destroyed, and the roof of the home has partially collapsed.
ACT Fire and Rescue were notified by a triple zero call at 4.12am and arrived to find the house well alight.
Damage was contained to the property and the fire was out by 5.30am.
There was no one was home at time.
However a strong smell of petrol hung over the house after the blaze was extinguished.
A local resident said he heard a “mild explosion” around 3am on Monday morning and ran out of his home to see a car, the front of the house, and a tree in flames.
“It looked really suspicious so I rang 000 straight away and alerted the neighbours in the area as to what was going on,” he said.
The man said he did not see anyone around the house at the time of the fire although he said it looked "very suspicious".
He said the house has been mostly unoccupied for months, although people often pass through the residence at night leaving a light on as they do.
Police forensic investigators arrived at the house on Monday morning and investigations into the fire continue.
Officers are urging anyone who may have any information on the cause of the fire to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.