SAN DIEGO — A fire broke out Monday morning at an abandoned house in East San Diego that San Diego Fire suspects was caused by a squatter living in the property, the department said.

The fire, which broke out in a craftsman style house on 3500 block of University Avenue, was reported shortly after 2 a.m. Monday morning.

Responding fire officials said that the rear of the house was heavily involved in the fire threatening the liquor store next door.

Several other dangers were present at the house that could have accelerated the movement of the flame, including a 100 lbs. propane tank on the front of the porch and power lines that came down in the backyard from the fire, SDFD said.

“Firefighters quickly attacked the fire, knocked it down and were able to hold it to the structure of origin,” San Diego Fire Rescue Battalion Chief John Fisher said.

According to the department, the fire took about two hours to quell. There is no information yet regarding what caused the house to catch fire.

Several homeless individuals were using the abandoned property as shelter at the time of the fire, SDFD said. No injuries were reported to the occupants in the building or firefighters.

The Metro Arson Strike Team is investigating the incident as a human caused fire.