Fire has destroyed the home of a soldier returning home from Afghanistan.

Hall County firefighters responded at 1:25 p.m. Wednesday to the report of a fire on Coker Road off Harmony Church Road in East Hall. They found about one-fourth of the home belonging to Michael and Nicole Walker in flames.

Heavy smoke was pouring through the rest of the house, said Chief David Kimbrell.

Authorities believe the fire started in clothes dryer.

The home is a total loss, Kimbrell said.

The fire happened as Nicole Walker was on her way to Savannah to pick up her husband, who had just returned from a one-year deployment with Gainesville-based Charlie Company.

Charlie Company is part of Georgia’s 48th Infantry Brigade, 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry.