By By Janet Little Cooper
Investigators with the state fire marshal's office are looking into what caused an early morning fire Christmas Day in Nokomis.
Fire crews from Atmore Fire and Rescue Department, Nokomis and Perdido Volunteer Departments tackled the blaze at the log cabin style house located at 60011 Ammons Road in the early morning hours of Christmas Day according to AFD chief Gerri McGhee.
"We got the call at 4:40 a.m.," McGhee said. "When we arrived the assistant chief from Nokomis had pulled up and then his department came in right behind us. The house was totally involved when we got there."
McGhee's crew stayed on the scene for more than two hours, returning to the fire station at 8:10 a.m.
The house was not occupied at the time of the blaze.
Owners, Michael and Michelle Smith received a phone call from relatives around 6 a.m. Christmas morning with the news.
"Someone called my sister and then she called me," Michelle Smith said. "By the time we got to the house it was completely gone. The only thing left standing is the back deck and an outdoor fireplace. It was a total loss."
The couple, which was in the process of moving out of the home, lost two motorcycles, clothing, furniture and other personal belongings in the fire.
"We are thankful that we weren't there, because my room is on the opposite end of our babies," Michelle Smith said. "And with it being a wood structure, it apparently burned quickly."
According to Smith, she was told that the 'hot spot' appeared to be in the area housing the couple's motorcycles.
McGhee said that the state fire marshal would be on sight this morning to examine the area in an effort to determine the cause of the fire.