A suspicious fire in South Austin is at the center of an investigation into organized crime. The fire at the home on the 5700 block of Encinal Cove on Sunday morning nearly gutted the inside, but it didn't destroy everything. Now detectives say they have multiple investigations on their hands.

Austin police officers called for help from the fire department around 7:00 Sunday morning. The officers had responded to a call about a suspicious person around a home in the Dove Springs neighborhood.

Detectives say the two people that lived at the home and one neighbor noticed the man, but when officers got to the house the people who lived there were gone and the home was on fire.

“The fire had so much headway. There was an unusually large amount of fire for a house in a residential neighborhood to have,” said Austin Fire Department Battalion Chief, Greg Nye.

At least two pit bull dogs were at the house. Investigators say the dogs were injured in the fire.

Arson detectives were called to investigate. They found evidence that the fire may have been set on purpose.

Austin police say there was also evidence of potential organized crime.

A large group of potted plants and a large overhead lamp was found in a back room of the house. There was also electrical fencing and surveillance equipment at the home.

“We're working with the Austin Police Dept. jointly on this fire,” said Battalion Chief Nye.

Multiple detectives from AFD and APD are now involved. They want to find the man that brought them out to the house in the first place.

“We want to talk to him. We don't know if he was just here for a few moments and passed through or if he had anything to do with this or not,” said Battalion Chief Nye.

Detectives describe the person they're looking for as a light skinned black man with a tall, thin build. He was last seen driving a 90's model green Ford pick up truck with a 10 foot extension ladder in the bed.

Detectives also want to talk to the people who were living at the home again. They say the two residents were renting the property.