DES MOINES, Iowa – An early morning fire destroyed a trailer home that was being renovated on Des Moines’ southeast side Tuesday.

Lt. Rick Thomas with the Des Moines Fire Department told WHO 13 that fire crews were returning from another call when they were flagged down at 5:06 a.m. by someone who let them know about the fire at 3600 E. Watrous Avenue. That’s just east of Easter Lake.

The double-wide trailer home was already reduced to rubble when they arrived. Firefighters had to wait for MidAmerican Energy to turn off the gas to the structure before being able to put water on the remaining hot spots around 7:00 a.m.

The owners of the property said they were renovating the double-wide trailer and had just started moving someone in, though that person had spent the night in another home on the property.

No one was inside the trailer home at the time of the fire. Fire investigators are working to determine the cause