RCMP in Nova Scotia are investigating a suspicious fire at a home under construction on the Eastern Shore.

Officers were called to a home on Passage Road in Beaver Harbour just after 9:45 p.m. on Sunday when a man in the area reported hearing voices coming from a construction site.

Someone had broken into the home, smashed all the windows, damaged fixtures and smashed the washer and dryer, said the RCMP.

Police believe the suspects left the scene — a new home worth about $750,000 — in a vehicle.

Three hours after RCMP left the house, they received another call from someone who spotted flames coming from the same location.

"From Highway 7, which is probably a few kilometres away, we could see a house that was fully engulfed in flames, lit up the sky late last night," said Cst. Duane Roul.

It was too late to salvage the building. Investigators were on the scene Monday sorting through the rubble using brooms and a small shovel.

Rob Burt, who is close friends with the owners, said they don't live in the province, but they were building their dream home for their retirement.

"When you came in, the entrance actually lead you right to the front where it was all glass, and it just opened right onto the ocean. You could see the otters, the seals, the osprey flying by," he said.

Police believe the fire is suspicious. Burt said the situation is an aberration.

"Hopefully the community will cough up who ever it is because it will detract from people moving here. You think about people investing a lot of money and then losing it to something needless, it's shameful."

There were no injuries.