A roaring storm of flames ripped through an old Turlock home Tuesday afternoon, leaving it a charred ruin.

The house was close to where a fatal shooting was reported earlier in the day. Investigators are looking at any possible connection between the two events.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The fire erupted around 2 p.m. Tuesday at a home in the 1700 block of S. Golden State Boulevard. The home had once been a stylish farmhouse with a turret, but had recently become an eyesore. The home had an abandoned appearance and was littered with debris. Nearby neighbors said it had been attracting transients and squatters.

No injuries were reported from the fire.

The fire was in the Turlock Rural Fire Department’s district and they requested aid from multiple agencies in battling the large blaze. Assisting agencies included the Turlock, Denair, Hughson and Mountain View fire departments.

The fire sent up thick plumes of black smoke that could be seen from miles away. Emergency distich received multiple calls reporting the fire.

The blaze came during the peak of the day’s heat, leaving firefighters to swelter under the sun and the flames. The fire was contained in a short amount of time, but firefighters remained at the scene for several hours to make sure all the hot spots had been extinguished, and for overhaul and clean up.

The scene of the fire is very close to where a deceased man was found around 1:45 a.m. Tuesday. The man had been shot to death and a homicide investigation is underway by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.