A fire early Wednesday morning in Patten damaged an apartment building and destroyed a local business.

Main Street Outback Garage on Main Street was a total loss after flames tore through the building, and a nearby apartment building also saw significant damage.

Two tenants who lived above the garage and eight people in the apartment building were displaced and are being helped by the Red Cross.

The use of an excavator made determining the cause of the fire difficult, but investigators say a wood stove can’t be ruled out as a possible cause.