PALMYRA — A log cabin home located off the Madawaska Road in Palmyra was leveled by fire in the early hours of Friday morning.

The dispatch center at nearby Pittsfield received a call from an unidentified passer-by shortly after 1 a.m. notifying them of a structure fire. Located off the main road, the building was not easily visible from the road until the flames erupted.

On arrival, Pittsfield firefighters found the home, owned by Richard Bubar, nearly level, with the exception of a deck on the north side of the building. Pittsfield fire Chief Bernard Williams determined the fire may have burned 20 to 40 minutes before firefighters arrived.

Pittsfield firefighters returned to the scene around 7 a.m. when the fire flared up again. At that time, firefighters said there was little more than piles of ashes left at the scene.

Because the building was vacant, and Bubar is reportedly in Florida for the winter, the fire was deemed suspicious. Firefighters reported finding footprints in the snow leading to and from the building. State fire Investigator Kenneth Quirion was at the scene later in the day Friday, but did not offer any speculation on the cause.