MURFREESBORO — An electric heater may be to blame for a fire that gutted a residence near here.

On Tuesday, firefighters from two departments battled a blaze at a small single story home on Mapleton Road in between Murfreesboro and the community of Mapleton.

According to Murfreesboro Fire Chief Bryant Cooke, his department was dispatched at approximately 10:50 a.m. to the residence. A North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper reported the fire to dispatch.

Cooke said when crews arrived, the back end of the small wooden structure was engulfed by flames.

“The house had already vented and there was heavy black smoke (coming from the residence),” he said.

Winton Fire Department was called in for mutual aid.

Cooke said the 20 firefighters (nine from Murfreesboro and 11 from Winton) on the scene were able to knock the fire down in 20 minutes and worked on hot spots for about an hour and a half after that.

He added there were no injuries and no one was home at the time of the fire.

Cooke said the blaze is believed to have originated in the bedroom of the home and may have started with an electric heater.

The fire chief thanked Winton Fire Department for their assistance.