Zebulon fire Chief Sidney Perry said Friday, investigators with the Wake County fire marshall's office have not provided his department with any information about their investigation.

Perry said the house, at 303 E. Horton Street, had no electric service at the time of the July 7 blaze, leading to speculation that the fire was either intentionally set or was started accidently by vagrants who appeared to be squatting in the house.

"There was a mattress and candles in the house where people had broken in," Perry said. The chief also said firefighters found several cigarette butts in the area near where the blaze began.

Wake County Deputy Fire Marshall Donnel Braxton was assigned to investigate the origin of the blaze.

Perry said fire marshalls typically turn their findings over the local law enforcement agencies if they determine a fire was intentionally set. Zebulon police have not received a final report from Braxton. Reached Monday, Braxton said he is investigating the blaze as "a human hands blaze" but he said it remains unclear if the fire started accidently or if it was set on purpose.

The house sustained heavy damage to the second floor, the attic and the rear of the home.

The house made the news in 2009 after neighbors complained about efforts by Tony Chiari, who owned the house at the time, to prevent people from breaking in.

Chiari spray painted the house with the words "Police Take Notice."

Chiari sold the house in 2010 to a corporation headed by Lucy Dixon of Raleigh. Chiari had purchased the house from Dixon's corporation in 2006.