Fosterville and Christiana firefighters battle a house fire March 3, 2007, at a home on Barfield Crescent Road in Rutherford County. (TMP Photo/L. Marchesoni).

No one was believed home Saturday night when fire destroyed a house on Barfield Crescent Road off South Church Street, sheriff's deputies reported. Names of the residents were undetermined since it is believed to a rental home.

Sheriff's Deputy Mike Hoekstra and reserve deputy Carol Hughes were looking for an address on Barfield Crescent Road when they saw a flash of light behind the home near Crescent Church of Christ, Hughes said.

She and Hoekstra ran to the home and yelled to see if anyone was inside. No vehicles were parked outside.

"The whole back of the house went up in flames," Hughes said.

Hoekstra kicked open the front door to check on people who might have been trapped inside.

"The smoke was too heavy and we couldn't get in the house to see if anyone was in there," Hoekstra said. "It sounded like ammunition so we backed off."

Later, they found the mailbox was open and stuffed full of mail, which made them think no one was home. Volunteer firefighters from Fosterville, Christiana and Rutherford fire departments extinguished the fire but were unable to save the house.

Firefighting efforts were hampered when firefighters ran out of water on the engine. Firefighters from other departments refilled engines at a hydrant about 1/8 of a mile away near the Crescent Market.