Abandoned three-story building at Molle Way and First Street catches fire Friday morning

SOLVANG, Calif.- A fire broke out at an abandoned three-story building at the intersection of Molle Way and First Street in Solvang Friday.

Fire crews were dispatched around 5:30 a.m. and arrived to find the building fully involved shared the Santa Barbara County Fire Department from the scene.

Crews worked to ensure the flames did not reach nearby structures and evacuated people in the area before the fire was successfully knocked down at 7:19 a.m. detailed the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

Streets were closed in a one-block radius during the response and while people were able to reenter nearby buildings, the streets around the incident are expected to remain closed for overhaul using heavy equipment explained the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The image below shows the building still smoldering later Friday morning.

According to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation.