Photo: PNG Loop

A supermarket fire on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island killed 10 people on Friday in what the local police commander has called one of the province's worst disasters.

The building in Lorengau town caught fire at about 3 o'clock in the morning and quickly engulfed the entire building, said the provincial police commander, David Yapu.

Mr Yapu said it's not clear what started the fire, but it originated from inside the building.

He said the store's owners -- 6 men and 4 women from the same family of Chinese migrants -- were trapped in the building.

"They tried to escape but they were being trapped by the fire," said Mr Yapu. "It's one of the worst disasters in the province."

Mr Yapu said the fire had shocked the community on Manus Island, and he said there could food and other shortages from the loss of one of the island's main suppliers.

He said fire investigators were being sent from Port Moresby to help with the investigation, which would also be referred to the coroner.