EDMONTON (CBC) - A fire that broke out late Monday destroyed a grocery store in Onoway, Alta., about 60 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

About six people were inside Onoway Family Foods when the fire started around 5 p.m., but everyone was able to get out safely.

More than 30 volunteer firefighters were called in from five surrounding communities from Lac St. Anne County to fight the fire and keep it from spreading to nearby buildings.

"You get a fire this big, it's a huge challenge," said Ross Bennett from Alberta Emergency Management Agency. "You're using volunteer fire departments that have to leave work, get to the fire truck and then get to the community hook-up, get water and start attacking the fire.

"These guys have done an amazing job. The building is still standing, it looks in not very good shape, but they've done an extremely good job."

At one point, concerns about the intensity of the fire prompted officials to advise nearby residents to get ready to leave.

"They came into the house and told us to have our bags ready in the truck," said Tanya Roberts. "If the wind had changed, we would have been gone, too."

Damage was extensive although a dollar estimate was not immediately known.

The fire leaves the community with just one grocery store. Fire investigators were expected to sift through the rubble Tuesday to determine a cause.