ST. CROIX — A vehicle fire early Tuesday morning spread to the Living Life Health Food Restaurant in Castle Coakley, causing significant smoke damage and moderate fire damage to the establishment, the V.I. Fire and Emergency Medical Services has announced.

VIFEMS said the fire broke out at approximately 4:19 a.m. on March 18. A suppression unit from C-Company responded immediately, initiating defensive firefighting operations to contain the blaze.

Upon arrival at 56 Castle Coakley, firefighters observed that the fire posed an immediate risk due to the presence of industrial and propane tanks on the premises. Recognizing the potential for further escalation, additional units from C-Company were dispatched to assist.

Firefighters worked for 15 minutes to bring the blaze under control, VIFEMS said. Once the fire was contained, crews entered the restaurant to assess the damage, finding heavy smoke damage throughout the building and moderate fire damage to its structure.

Shortly after the fire was extinguished, VIFEMS’s Arson and Prevention Unit arrived on-site to investigate the cause of the incident. According to the release, their findings indicate that the fire originated from a vehicle parked near the restaurant, which was completely engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. The flames spread from the burning vehicle to the restaurant, resulting in the damage.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Despite the extent of the damage, no injuries were reported, and no additional properties were affected by the fire.

In a statement, VIFEMS expressed gratitude to all responding units for their swift and effective actions in preventing further damage and ensuring public safety. The agency reiterated its commitment to protecting the community through rapid and efficient emergency response efforts.