Auburn Police arrived at the scene of a fire that destroyed a large, two-story home on Lea Hill early Sunday to find its owner dead out in front of the home with a single gunshot wound to his head.

Auburn Police Commander Mark Callier said the man’s death appears to have been a suicide, although investigators don’t yet know if the man also set the fire. Callier said the man left messages, notes and plywood signs outside the home warning others to be careful approaching it.

There were no other victims.

Valley Regional Fire Authority crews responded at 6:15 a.m. to reports of smoke and flames from the 307 block of 124th Avenue Southeast, and found the approximately-5,000-square-foot home fully involved.

According to the VRFA, firefighters struggled to get onto the property because of a vehicle blocking the long, narrow driveway.

Heavy fire also made it unsafe for firefighters to enter the home initially, forcing them to fight the flames from outside.

Kimberly Terhune, Public Information and Education Officer at Valley Regional Fire Authority, said the fire burned so hot and so completely consumed the home that the chance of finding its source is slim.

Terhune said that the VRFA battalion chief on scene heard what sounded like ammunition going off inside the house during the fire, but exactly what that was remains unknown.

Police and the VRFA continue to investigate the fire. Police said they have no suspects.