More than three dozen firefighters from six departments fought an early morning fire that gutted a Hermitage house. The fire at 859 S. Hermitage Road was reported shortly after 1 a.m. Monday. Hermitage Fire Marshal John Flynn said the fire got a good start before it was noticed. There are few streetlights in the area, and houses sit back from the five-lane highway. Flynn had no details yet about the ownership of the two-story brick house, but he said it appeared to be vacant and was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The muggy night with temperatures in the high 60s added difficulty for those fighting the fire. Firefighters were still on the scene at 3 a.m. dousing stubborn hot spots in ceilings and walls. Interior damage appeared to be severe.