An abandoned house in Lakeview Estates burned down Monday evening.

Firefighters responded to a call around 5:30 p.m. and were on the scene for about two hours, according to Rockdale County Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Lee. When they arrived, the house was already mostly burned out, said Lee. "It was pretty much a defensive fire," he said.

The fire was not located close to other structures and firefighters had a difficult time accessing the house. There was no driveway, said Lee, and only an overgrown dirt path about 800 to 1000 feet off the road. Eventually, a brush truck, or a smaller fire apparatus with a water supply designed to go into brush and woods, was used to fight the fire.

The cold weather and ice "did present its own challenges, because the roads were so bad," said Lee.

The house was a ranch-style house that had reportedly been abandoned and empty for some time.

Lee said the origin of the fire was being investigated, but did look suspicious.

RCFD also responded to a chimney fire that was limited to the chimney area.

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