A nighttime fire that destroyed a barn in Clinton last week has been officially deemed suspicious, the Island County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday.

Sgt. Darren Crownover said investigators have ruled out the possibility that the blaze was started by a “natural origin,” such as an electricity short.

“We believe there might be a criminal element to the fire,” he said.

The sheriff’s office has no suspects yet, but Crownover said the case remains under investigation. He’s asking anyone with information to call the South Precinct in Freeland at 360-331-4535.

The fire occurred at about 10 p.m. Monday, June 6, at a property on the south side of Highway 525 just west of the traffic light at Ken’s Korner. First responders arrived to find the old barn fully engulfed in flames.

The barn was used for storage and contained myriad items, including an old dump truck. A travel trailer parked alongside the building was also destroyed.

South Whidbey Fire/EMS Chief Rusty Palmer said the loss was estimated at $18,240-$8,240 for the building and $10,000 for contents.