Ballarat City Fire Station senior officer Shane Phillips said crews were called in to battle the blaze on Joseph Street about 2am.

Firefighters found the weatherboard home well engulfed in flames after arriving, with a large section of the tin roof having collapsed.

“There were significant safety issues, including fallen power lines and the structural collapse,” Mr Phillips said.

“The house’s block was also quite overgrown, and the fire had extended into a lot of trees and shrubs on the property.

“We made the decision that it was too dangerous to send firefighters inside, so fought it externally.”

There was a Mitsubishi in the property’s driveway, but crews soon received information that the house was unoccupied. 

It took five fire trucks to contain the blaze, which burnt nearby trees and melted bins.

Police and fire investigators remained on scene late in the morning, launching an investigation into the incident.

Crime Investigation Unit detectives said it was yet to be determined if the blaze was suspicious.