A blaze that destroyed a Melbourne market also burned 6000 school books and hundreds of Christmas presents set aside for families who couldn't afford them.
The Little Saigon Market in Footscray caught fire shortly after 6am on Tuesday, with more than 70 firefighters needed to get it under control.
Youth worker Les Twentyman ran a back-to-school program in the rooms above the market, supplying donated text books to families who otherwise couldn't afford them.
He had also been collecting presents to hand out to kids at his annual free Christmas luncheon.
"For a lot of families we're the only thing that counts (at this time of year)," Mr Twentyman told AAP on Tuesday.
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"They get their Christmas lunch and their Christmas presents and then three weeks later they get their school books to start school."
Mr Twentyman said he had fielded calls from unions looking to help replace the books and presents, and had missed a call from Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who went to the Christmas luncheon in 2015.
"(We hope) the 500 kids that we budgeted to start with all their school books in 2017 are able to start," he said.
The back-to-school program has been running for 27 years and has helped more than 30,000 children afford expensive school books.
CFMEU state secretary John Setka said the union would donate $10,000 to help replace what was lost.
"I'm a boy from Footscray and I know how important Les' work is for the local community," Mr Setka said in a statement.
The fire was brought under control around lunchtime, but not before Footscray was blanketed in thick black smoke.
"It appears the fire began in the cool room area of the premises and quickly took hold, engulfing the building," the MFB said in a statement.
"It's believed no one was inside at the time."
