An electrical malfunction appears to be the cause of a fire Thursday afternoon that destroyed a vacant farmhouse at 450 Ray Casteel Road, authorities said.

A passerby spotted the house fire about 1 p.m. Thursday "from the back side of the house as he was driving through" and called 911, sheriff's Deputy Rick Williams said in a report.

Property owner Kenton Weems lives in a nearby house and was at the fire scene when deputies arrived.

Weems, 46, "said he was doing a little [work] at a time to get it ready to move into," the report said.

The house, believed to be over 100 years old, is listed as a complete loss.

"It was most likely caused by an electrical fire. The wiring was old [and it's] unknown when it was last updated," the report said.

On scene were the United Volunteer Fire Department, the Mosheim Volunteer Fire Department, Greene County-Greeneville Emergency Medical Services, and the Greeneville Power & Light System.

No injures were reported.

Damage to the vacant farmhouse is listed at $75,000. Another $2,000 damage was done to the back wall of an outbuilding, the report said.