At the request of Rowan County Fire Marshal Randall Faggart, investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation will assist Faggart and Rowan County Sheriff’s Detective Gleen Hinson in sifting through the remains of the mansion on U.S. 152 West, near Mooresville.

The home’s smoke alarm system alerted officials around 12:30 Saturday afternoon.

“We’ve got four (alarms) that sent a signal in,” Faggart said about the home’s detection system. “More than one went off … and they were progressive,” Faggart said. Investigators are still trying to determine which alarms detected the smoke and which detected the fire’s heat.

Faggart estimated the value of the horseshoe-shaped mansion at more than $1 million. The Irvans’ insurance company hasn’t estimated the amount of loss yet.

The fire was out of control by the time several west Rowan fire departments arrived on the scene, and Faggart said they were able to save very little.

In many cases where fires grab such a lead on firefighters, investigators look to determine if some type of accelerants are involved.

“... At this point, we believe it (the fire) may have been in a void area where the sensors may not have picked it up”immediately, Faggart said.

That theory is still speculation at this point in the investigation, he said.

The fire most severely damaged the side of the home where Irvan’s trophy room was located.

Faggart said the trophy room was built at the same time the house was constructed and that there have not been any recent renovations, ruling out any electrical problems from new construction.

Irvan, his wife, Kim, and the couple’s two children were vacationing in the Bahamas at the time of the fire, and Faggart said the housesitter was not there.

This morning, Diane Huff, of the Racing Wive’s Auxiliary Club, said she would be contacting the Irvans today to determine what kind of help the club could provide.

Faggart said the family is staying with friends.