By Luke Voogt
A blaze has destroyed an IGA supermarket at Hamlyn Heights on Monday with authorities issuing a smoke warning for the surrounding area.
CFA crews responded to an emergency call at 5.17am as flames engulfed the roughly 160 square metre building.
“We’ve still got a fair bit of smoke coming out of the place,” said Wayne Aylmer, CFA District 7 operations officer.
“It’s destroyed – completely engulfed.”
About two dozen firefighters, with four pumpers and an aerial pumper, brought the fire under control in few hours.
No supermarket staff had been in the building during the blaze, Mr Aylmer said.
“It was locked up and unoccupied.”
Firefighters cut holes in the roof to allow them to hose the fire directly in what Mr Aylmer described as a “difficult attack”.
The fire may have started in a nearby skip before spreading to the supermarket, according to initial reports.
“We’re not sure that’s actually correct but we’ll get around to investigating,” Mr Aylmer said.
Police and CFA investigators had yet to move into the building about 9.30am due to smoke and heat, he said.
Investigators had yet to establish if the fire was suspicious.
Vic Emergency on Monday morning issued a smoke warning for Hamlyn Heights, North Geelong, Bell Park, Herne Hill and Bell Post Hill.
The authority warned locals to avoid the area around the supermarket as police closed Vines Rd between Marlo St and Willana Ave.
The blaze was called in just before 5.20 this morning, with initial reports it may have been a skip fire at Vines Road.
