The fire was reported around 3 a.m. by a neighbor or passerby, according to fire officials. When the first units arrived in the 2200 block of Peeler Road, they found the single-family house fully involved, with flames and heavy smoke pouring from the structure.

Firefighters were still applying water to the home well past 5 a.m., and crews kept the road blocked into the morning commute while they knocked down hot spots. No injuries were reported.

A neighbor told DeKalb Fire Rescue that the home is a rental property that had been sitting empty for approximately three months. That detail may complicate the investigation, but officials have not drawn any conclusions about how the fire began.

Investigators are working to determine the origin and cause of the blaze. Fire officials said there is no information at this point linking the fire to heating equipment.

The fire comes as metro Atlanta heads into the colder months, when home-heating hazards typically rise. The National Fire Protection Association recommends keeping anything combustible at least three feet away from space heaters and fireplaces, turning space heaters off before leaving a room or going to sleep, and never using an oven to warm a home.

Peeler Road residents and commuters faced detours through the early morning hours while crews worked the scene. Officials have not released a damage estimate or said whether the structure is salvageable.

This is a developing story, and additional information about the investigation is expected as it becomes available.