The cause of a blaze early Sunday that destroyed a Loris area landmark home built in the early 1900s remains under investigation, according to authorities.

The Rankin House, 8310 West Highway 19 just off U.S. 701 North in the Allsbrook community, was destroyed by fire, said Leslie Yancey, spokeswoman with Horry County Fire Rescue.

Crews were called at 2 a.m. by someone passing by to report that the 8,000 square foot home, which was vacant, was on fire, Yancey said. No one was hurt during the incident, but the home was deemed a complete loss.

Midway Fire Rescue officials are investigating the cause of the blaze because Horry County firefighters were busy with the fires in the Carolina Forest areas, Yancey said.

It is not the first time the historic, iconic home caught fire.

In August 2008, the home was damaged in a rash of fires over a 12-hour period in that area that also damaged three other buildings within a few miles of each other. None of the four buildings were occupied at the time of those fires.

At the time of that 2008 blaze, owner Jacquelyn Mishoe, said she had offered the home at no charge to host weddings, birthdays, and the Mayor's Black Tie Dinner, the annual Loris Bog Off's Evening of Elegance banquet.

Mishoe, who had purchased the home in 1982 and spent about two years restoring it, said she planned to fix the damages to the home.

"I always admired the house as a girl, I just never thought I'd own it," Mishoe said Aug. 17, 2008. "I love this house. It's a part of me. My favorite part is the wraparound porch where you can sit and get a breeze."

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Contact TONYA ROOT at 444-1723 or follow her at Twitter.com/tonyaroot.