GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) - Firefighters say a suspicious blaze has destroyed a Gainesville home and damaged two others.

The Times of Gainesville reports (http://bit.ly/oGlr8p ) that a passer-by noticed the fire Sunday morning and alerted authorities.

Fire Chief Jon Canada says arriving firefighters reported that the flames were so intense they could not enter the structure. It suffered an estimated $100,000 in damage. The flames soon spread to two nearby homes, which each sustained about $15,000 in damage. No one was injured.

Canada would not say exactly why investigators have deemed the fire suspicious. He says the home that burned had been unoccupied for some time and did not have electricity or gas service.