An urgent watch and act alert has been issued to locals in a South Australian suburb after a hardware store went up in flames.
Tumby Bay residents have been warned to remain indoors after a fire broke out at a Mitre 10 on the Eyre Peninsula, 240km northwest of Adelaide, on Saturday afternoon.
South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) issued an alert for the Spencer Street location at 3.23pm.
Nine fire trucks and 55 CFS firefighters remain at the scene, assisted by the Metropolitan Fire Service as well as police, ambulance and power services.
The fire remains active, though emergency responders have prevented it from spreading to adjacent properties.
Residents within the warning area running east-west from Trezise Street and Tumby Terrace and north-south between North Terrace and Park Terrace have been advised to immediately move indoors.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined but investigators will attend the scene on Sunday morning.
Footage posted to social media depicted stunned shoppers standing by in shock as the flames rose from the building’s roof.
Locals watched on in horror as the Tumby Bay hardware store went up in flames on Saturday
Fire investigators will attend the scene on Sunday to determine the cause of the Tumby Bay fire
Authorities have warned that smoke may reduce visibility within the vicinity of the store.
Emergency services have closed roads around the store meaning residents may not be allowed to enter the vicinity of the site.
Mitre 10 Tumby Bay has served the local community since it opened in nearly 20 years ago.
