House fire still smoldering near Malta Elementary School

MALTA, Mont. - A house fire broke out just north of Malta Elementary School on Wednesday morning around 4:29 a.m., according to the Malta Volunteer Fire Department.

The fire department did not specify an exact structure or address, but said that the sidewalk and street along 3rd Avenue toward the elementary school "is solid ice at the moment" and urged residents to stay away and be cautious.

Firefighter crews including two engines and two wildland trucks arrived at the scene this morning to find the house fully engulfed in flames. The fire department said crews battled the fire from the exterior for around three hours.

"The structure is still smoldering and you may see some small flames," the Malta Volunteer Fire Department said. "There are a lot of hazards around it. Please stay away and off the property."

The Malta Volunteer Fire Department and Phillips County Sheriffs Office will be monitoring the house "all day," the department said.