Owner of the store, Rod Ceeney was alerted at home by the stores alarm system and arrived at around 2am to find the building well alight.

It is thought that perhaps collapsing shelving or the smoke and flames had triggered the motion sensor alarms.

Rod had gone to the back of the building and attempted to go in through the back door before he was overcome with thick smoke billowing from the building. A call was made to 000 and soon after the Fire Brigade was on the scene at around 2.15am.

The crews arrived to find flames coming out of the building before forcing open the front doors to gain access to fight the fire.

25 fire fighters worked at the scene with crews from Cootamundra and Young joining the Harden crew. A specialist Hazardous Materials Unit was also called in from Goulburn to keep the supply of breathing apparatus up the fire fighters who had to battle difficult conditions to bring the blaze under control.

Ladders were placed on the awning of the neighbouring building to give the fire fighters better access to the roof area of the supermarket. Luckily no other buildings suffered damage from the fire.

Inspector Brendan Cox, Duty Commander with Regional South 2, said that it took around 1 1/2 hours to control the fire and prevent it spreading to neighbouring properties.

One local firefighter was also overcome with exhaustion and was treated by local Paramedics on the scene before returning to work within the hour.

Inspector Cox said it was a great combined effort from the emergency services in attendance that performed a very effective fire attack under difficult circumstances.

The building has not only meant the loss their family business for the Ceeney family, but also a great loss to the community as a whole.

Rod Ceeney and his staff at Ceeney’s have long been held in high regard for their friendly service, and Rod for his generous donations and assistance to local schools, charities and community groups.