New London — The New London Fire Department quickly extinguished a fire in a cinderblock building at 96 Hawthorne Drive on Saturday evening that was formerly occupied by the Little Red Schoolhouse, a program for students with special needs.

Fire companies went to the building at 8:30 p.m. for a report of smoke coming out of the back of the former school.

Battalion Chief Marc Melanson said plywood used to board up the vacant building caught fire and worked its way into the structure.

Fire companies entering through the front were met with heavy smoke and high heat, he said.

They knocked the fire down with one hose line and remained on the scene ventilating the building and checking for any extensions of the fire.

Fire Chief Henry Kydd said it appeared somebody had tried to get into the building and that fire marshals would be investigating the cause and origin of the fire.

New London Police were also at the scene investigating.

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN