WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Firefighters spent the afternoon battling a fire at a business next to Johnnie Mercer’s Pier at Wrightsville Beach.

Dispatchers said a little after noon, a call came in about a fire at King’s located on Salisbury Street in Wrightsville Beach. Town Manager Tim Owens said there were no reported injuries. Owens also said the fire did not spread to any other buildings.

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Owners Einat and Yoav Kohavi said there was one employee was inside when it happened.

“She saw the smoke right away and she got out and then she called me right away,” Yoav said. “It just happened so quickly, but thank God nobody got hurt.”

Wendy Hunt was near the store when the fire started. She ran inside to make sure employees and patrons were out.

“I asked them if there was anyone else inside,” Hunt said. “They kind of didn’t answer me so I screamed, ‘Is anyone else in this building with you?’ and they said no so we got them out, and we were not out three minutes and the roof started caving in.”

Well into the early evening, crews were still putting out hot spots. Fire officials said the building is a total loss and unstable.

“To see it like that it’s very hard, Einat said. “It’s very hard. It’s like our baby you know.”

“You just feel sad and confused,” Yoav said. “It’s just the beginning of the season to get the store ready.”

The fire chief said the building is a total loss. Fire crews cannot go into the center of the building, because the structure is unstable.

(Video: Stephanie Sumner)