The charred remains of a Westminster Avenue home were still smoking Tuesday afternoon. The home became engulfed in flames early Christmas morning and burned to the ground.

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PRESTONSBURG — An unoccupied home was destroyed Christmas morning, after a fire broke out in the early morning hours.

The home, located at the head of Westminster Avenue, was still smoking at 3 p.m. Tuesday, after neighbors say the home caught on fire sometime around 4 a.m.

Prestonsburg Fire Department was called out at 5:15 a.m. According to Prestonsburg Fire Chief Bobby Carpenter, the home was vacant and in the process of being remodeled by its owner.

Carpenter said the house was fully involved before discovery. “It had been burning for a while before it woke any of the neighbors up.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“Nothing suspicious is jumping out, but the official cause is still under investigation,” Carpenter said.

According to Carpenter, a second fire took place Wednesday at Spradlin Branch. He said the cause of that fire was a deteriorating chimney. The fire did not cause a lot of damage, but Carpenter said it had a potential to be very bad. “The homeowners discovered the chimney fire pretty quick.”

Carpenter said it is important for people with wood burning fireplaces or wood burning stoves that use flue pipes to have them inspected annually by a chimney sweep.