Business owners in Brisbane’s bayside have been left heartbroken after a fire tore through a strip of shops, leaving three destroyed and others damaged.

Crews were called to a strip of shops on Old Cleveland Road at Capalaba after 4am this morning.

Investigations are ongoing into the cause of the blaze.

Nine News reporter Jordan Fabris said a number of intersections were shut down in the area.

“Sad to report this morning that a number of businesses have been absolutely gutted by this fire, it was an old building, so they all shared the same roof and as you can imagine the smoke it’s just billowed into neighbouring businesses after initially breaking out in the Chemist Warehouse there.”

He said it was a crime scene this afternoon.

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On-call inspector Mark Burchard earlier told Neil Breen firies contained the blaze to the northern end of the complex.

“On arrival, they found heavy fire through three shops adjacent to the Chemist Warehouse.

“The fire hasn’t spread as far as the Chemist Warehouse – we’ve cut it off at a common walkway between the shopping centre.

“There is smoke damage, obviously, through 90 per cent of the complex and we’ve lost, looking at, approximately four shops.”

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There were extensive delays for morning commuters, including 4BC listener Don.

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Image: Queensland Ambulance Service, Bianca Stone/Sunrise