ROCKPORT - Knox County Regional Communications received multiple calls Friday just after 9 p.m. about a blazing structure fire in the woods behind Rocky Pond, which is located in Rockport off Route 17 at the intersection of Vinal Street.

Rockport Fire Chief Jason Peasley said that the fully-involved cabin was small, about 10-feet-by-12-feet, but that the fire was extending in the exceptionally dry woods surrounding it.

"We knew the camp was gone, so the focus was on putting out the woods fire we had to prevent a larger woods from happening, that was the priority," said Peasley.

Rockport had 23 firefighters on scene, with Rockland being called in for mutual aid with four people.

"It was a really good turnout and a good stop before I rolled onto the scene after I went back to the station to get the pump to pull water from the lake," said Peasley.

The cabin is located on the Kangas Estate, which Peasley said is 107 acres and for sale. In its day, the cabin was probably a nice one, with a table, chairs and bed inside. But today it's just a dilapidated shell, devoid of windows and a door, with nothing inside.

Outside, there is a chained-down picnic table in the front of the cabin and a fire pit.

Peasley said there are eyewitnesses who claimed seeing a small group of people walking out of the woods with their hoods pulled up, just before the fire.

Peasley said evidence was collected from the picnic table during the incident, and that the Fire Marshal's Office would be talking to the witnesses about what they saw. The investigation is ongoing, he said.

Reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com and 207-706-6655.