Another commercial property on Rarotonga has gone up in flames - this time in Central Avarua.

Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Florence Syme-Buchanan

The premises of retailer Raro Mart were completely gutted by fire which started in the early hours of the morning.

It was a historic building once known as the Scott and Watson building that was a clothing factory from 1950s through to the 1970s.

Police and the fire service are investigating with the main road in the township diverted to keep the public away from the site.

Early indications from investigations into two other fires in the Cook Islands last month are that the first was likely to have been deliberately lit and the second was the result of an electrical fault.

Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Florence Syme-Buchanan

Cooks fire ends new job before it starts

A Filipino woman, Ailyn Guides, was meant to start her new job in retail today.

Instead when she turned up for training this morning she was confronted by the smouldering ruins of the Raro Mart.

Ms Guides told our correspondent in Rarotonga, Florence Syme-Buchanan, that she was having difficulty processing exactly what had happened.

She had just entered into a contract with Raro Mart and had expected to work at the big retail business for at least two or three years.

Ms Guides said all her documents were in the building, apart from her passport.