Police are treating a fire which destroyed a house at Muswellbrook as suspicious.
Firefighters from Muswellbrook and Aberdeen were called to the unoccupied hardiplank and tile home on Richmond Street just before 1.00 am on Monday to find the house well alight.
It's taken about 2 hours to extinguish and mop up the blaze, although crews have been called back to put out hot spots which had caused the fire to re-ignite.
Police have set up a crime scene and forensic investigators from Newcastle will examine the scene later this morning.
