Five fire tenders and multiple emergency crews were deployed to Wehner Road on Wednesday afternoon after a massive fire destroyed a two-storey commercial building and triggered several explosions.

The building housed Vince’s Hardware Store and a restaurant on the ground floor, while people were reportedly upstairs when the fire started. All occupants escaped safely, some managing to remove important documents and belongings before the flames spread.

Firefighters battled for hours to contain the blaze and faced difficulties accessing water after the earlier island-wide power outage reportedly affected nearby hydrants, forcing repeated trips to alternative water sources.

Firefighters remained on the scene into the evening as investigations into the cause of the fire continued.