The Aberdeen Fire Department responded in force Monday morning to a structure fire call in an abandoned building on West Wishkah Street, knocking out a campfire before it could become a threat.

Sixteen firefighters from Aberdeen and Hoquiam responded to the fire, which occurred around 6:30 a.m. on Monday morning, said Battalion Chief Kelly Niemi of the Aberdeen Fire Department.

“A small campfire inside an abandoned building could have caused an actual structure fire,” Niemi said in an interview. “Luckily it came in when it did and someone saw it and reported it and we were able to get in there and extinguish it.”

Campfires spreading out of control in an abandoned building are not uncommon in the region. This fire began on the first floor of the building, Niemi said.

“Sounds like there was a section of the building that was used to board up the building that was tore off on one corner of the building,” Niemi said. “That’s where they were able to make access.”

City work crews had replaced the plywood blocking access to the abandoned building by around 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@thedailyworld.com.