An early morning fire ravaged three neighboring businesses on Merrick Road Saturday, fire officials say.

According to Fire Chief Ronald Luparello, the blaze started at the Bagel Boss store at around 1:50 a.m. while a baker, Larry Fisichello, was working inside.

?What I saw was flames coming out of the roof, and it was just a horrible smoke,? Fisichello says.

The baker attempted to put out the fire with several buckets of water, but when the flames reached the ceiling, he fled the building.

Units from 10 fire departments arrived on the scene, but by that time the fire spread to two other businesses, Robecks Smoothies and Starfish Chowder House. The roof collapsed in all three establishments.

One of the fire chiefs who responded to the blaze says the flames were so intense that the walls inside the bagel store started to buckle, prompting firefighters to leave and try to put out the blaze from the outside. Several firefighters sustained minor injuries.

According to a fire marshal, the blaze was caused by an electrical problem inside Bagel Boss. He says it is likely the entire building will have to be demolished.