A fire that destroyed a two-story house Sunday night in northern Butler County caused some tense moments.

Fire crews were concerned that someone might have been in the home as they battled the blaze, which started around 8:30 p.m. on Higgins Road in rural Venango Township.

On scene for nearly four hours, fighting the fire and searching the rubble in pitch darkness, firefighters did not find anyone.

Hours later, 50-year-old George Early, who apparently had been living there, showed up. But as of 1:30 p.m. Monday, Trooper Sean Christofferson, a deputy fire marshal assigned to investigate the cause of the blaze, still had not spoken to Early.

Christofferson said he is hoping interviews will help his investigation. He acknowledged that due to the extensive damage, a cause is unlikely to be determined by examining the remains of the structure.

Crews from six departments in multiple counties were called after a neighbor reported the fire, said Chief Dale Sellers, of the Eau Claire Volunteer Fire Department.

Flames had already taken over the wood-frame house, owned by Early's father, also named George Early, by the time the first firefighters arrived.

“It was fully involved when we got there,” Sellers said.

The fire went through the roof and devoured the house, collapsing the second floor onto the first floor, and then sending the remains into the basement.

“It completely burned to the ground,” Sellers said. “It was pretty much there when we got there.”

At the time, it was not immediately clear if the house was vacant or if someone was living in it.

The elder Early lives next door, and he told fire officials at the time of the blaze he feared his son could be inside. Authorities said he told firefighters his son moved in about two weeks ago.

The Butler Eagle could not reach either Early for comment.

Sellers said there were utilities connected to the house, and there was furniture — including bed frames as well as a washer and dryer — in it. But he noted that there were no vehicles at the house when crews arrived.

A neighbor's pond down the road was used to supply water to battle the blaze. Afterward, crews searched the remains of the burned-down home.

“We tried to dig through everything,” Sellers said from the fire station after leaving the scene early Monday morning, well before daybreak, “but there's no way you can do anything in the dark. They're just waiting until morning to see what the heck is what.”

Christofferson was at the scene soon after the fire. He returned later Monday morning.

He still didn't know if Early, the son, was living there “full time.” The trooper said he also did not know where the younger Early was at the time of the fire.

It also was not immediately known if the house was insured.