A fire that has destroyed a health food cafe in Sydney's east is being treated as suspicious, police say.
Residents reported hearing a loud explosion at Nutrition Station on Anzac Parade in Maroubra at about 2am on Tuesday and emergency services arrived to find the shop engulfed in flames.
About 50 people were evacuated from the multi-storey apartment block above the shop.
Firefighters rescued a few people trapped in a stairwell and quickly extinguished the blaze, Fire & Rescue NSW's Superintendent Paul Johnson said.
He could not confirm whether there was an explosion, but did say the noise could have been glass windows exploding due to the heat.
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A police spokesman said the cause of the fire was being treated as suspicious.
