HORSHAM Fire Brigade Captain Mathew Walsh has congratulated Horsham Safeway staff's efforts after a fire forced an evacuation of the supermarket on Friday night.
Mr Walsh said a fire started in the electrical switch room, in the east side of the building, about 8.50pm.
He said he was unsure what caused the fire.
Mr Walsh said the supermarket filled with smoke, alerting staff and customers to the fire.
"The staff did a fantastic job evacuating the building," he said.
Mr Walsh said an ambulance attended to assess the staff and customers. He said police and Powercor also attended.
Mr Walsh said the fire crew had to wait about 20 minutes for power to be cut before they could enter the building.
"It didn't take long to control the blaze," he said.
He estimated up to $50,000 of electrical wire damage could have been caused by the fire.
Safeway staff member Ema Iredell, 17, spoke to the Mail-Times on Friday night after the fire occurred.
"All the power just went out," she said.
"The lights just flickered.
"There was heaps of smoke from the back of the building.
"We were all lost and looking at each other. Then one of the boys said it was a fire."
Ema said the staff and customers calmly evacuated to the supermarket carpark.
Click here for more photos from the Horsham Safeway evacuation.
