Victoria firefighters put out a blaze at the Save-on-Foods grocery store at Fort Street and Foul Bay Road on Wednesday morning.

The fire, which broke out about 6:30 a.m., originated with a battery in the store’s compressor room, said Victoria fire Capt. Steve Meikle.

article continues below

A loose connection on a battery caused a spark igniting the hydrogen gas in the battery, which in turn set nearby combustibles on fire.

Alarms sounded and a sprinkler system extinguished the fire. Employees smelled smoke.

Victoria firefighters were at the scene mopping up until about 9:30 a.m.

Damage was minimal in the public area and the store was allowed to reopen.

Meikle estimated the damage at between $8,000 and $9,000.