Firefighters from South Beach Regional Fire Authority got their Monday started energetically when the department responded to a structure fire just before 6 a.m.

Arriving fire crews found a fully involved house fire at a residence reported as abandoned and uninhabited near Forrest Street and Newell Avenue in Westport, said Battalion Chief Daryl Brown.

“The first engine was on-scene at 5:55,” Brown said. “It was fully involved.”

Brown described the structure as a small residence, cabin-like in its construction. With the residence already completely engulfed, firefighters worked to curtail any spread of the fire.

“The crew had some concerns with the wildland interface,” Brown said. “There were some trees and bushes that put the neighbors at risk.”

Firefighters got the fire under control in minutes, Brown said, before spending several hours knocking out hot spots.

Part of Forrest Street was closed as crews battle the fire, according to the post, with 16 firefighters responding to the call. Due to the totality of the damage, the department was unable to determine a cause of the fire, Brown said.

Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or michael.lockett@thedailyworld.com.