Market owner devastated after late night fire destroys business, apartments

MONCTON – The owner of a Moncton market says he is concerned about the well being of his employees after a fire destroyed his shop on Sunday night.

Dolma Foods employed 15 people, according to owner Hossein Barar.

“They’re part owners of the business they worked hard and they they did anything they could,” he said, noting he would like to have another shop in the same area.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "They're part owners of the business they worked hard and they they did anything they could," he said, noting he would like to have another shop in the same area.

The Moncton Fire Department was called to the fire on St. George Street around 11:45 p.m.

READ MORE: Challenging late night fire destroys three apartments, displaces five tenants

Fire Chief Eric Arsenault told Global News crews were able to bring the fire under control, but there were some tense moments in their fight.

“We had two firefighters working on the roof trying to vent the roof and another firefighter on the ladder and then there was an explosion at the roof level that could have potentially injured or even killed firefighters,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We had two firefighters working on the roof trying to vent the roof and another firefighter on the ladder and then there was an explosion at the roof level that could have potentially injured or even killed firefighters," he said.

“Luckily, everybody got off the roof safely and there were no injuries but it was a very scary moment for our fire fighters.”

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The fire also attracted a crowd who filmed the explosion Sunday night.

One of them was Marie Mourant, who said it was impressive to watch the firefighters continue doing their jobs despite the leaping flames.

“All of the sudden there was this huge flame and both firefighters who were on the crane just kept going and it was pretty impressive,” she said.

WATCH: Explosion caught on camera during fire on St. George Street.

0:30 Explosion at Moncton fire caught on camera

The Canadian Red Cross said early Monday that five people ere displaced by the fire that also destroyed three apartments on the second storey of the building.

Chief Arsenault said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but there is no evidence suggesting the fire was deliberately set.