CONTRIBUTED PHOTO The Marshalltown Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 1918 S. 5th Ave. early on Monday morning.

The Marshalltown Fire Department (MFD) was called to a blaze at 1918 S. 5th Ave. early Monday morning and spent approximately three hours on the scene, according to a press release.

At 4:25 a.m. the Marshalltown Fire Department was dispatched to the scene of a structure fire. Upon arrival, fire crews found a single-family ranch house with fire showing through the roof and all windows on the main floor. Winds were blowing north at 17 miles per hour, gusting to 32 mph and created a wind-driven fire behavior forcing the incident commander to attack the fire defensively.

Firefighters used water to protect the down-wind exposure (neighboring property) and brought the fire under control with multiple hand lines and a vehicle mounted master stream. At the time of the fire, the cause of which remains under investigation, the residents were not present.

The Marshalltown Police Department (MPD), Alliant Energy, and UnityPoint Health EMS assisted the fire department at the scene.