Four adults safely escaped an early-morning fire that caused heavy damage to a deli-mart in Edmonds.

The fire was reported at about 3:50 a.m. at Mike’s Deli-Mart in the 23200 block of Edmonds Way.

“Fire dispatchers received multiple calls from neighbors and people driving by reporting flames coming from the building,” said Leslie Hynes, public information officer for Snohomish County Fire District 1, which provides service to the City of Edmonds.

The building also houses a barbershop with an apartment above it. “The four adults were asleep in the apartment when a stranger pounded on the door and told them to get out because the building was on fire,” Hynes said. “The residents escaped with three small dogs.”

The back of the building was engulfed in flames when the first firefighters arrived from the nearby Esperance Fire Station 20. “They could smell the smoke as they left the station and there were 30-foot flames when they arrived,” Hynes said.

The fire went to a second alarm. About 36 firefighters from Fire District 1, Lynnwood and Shoreline were on the scene at the peak of the fire. No one was injured.

It took about 45 minutes to bring the fire under control. The building’s construction and a cell phone tower with high-voltage equipment posed challenges for the firefighters, Hynes said.

“Fire got into the parapet and there was some concern it might collapse. Firefighters working on the roof cut holes in the side of the parapet to get at the flames,” Hynes said.

The Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the fire. Investigators said it may be days before they have a cause. They said the building may be a total loss, mostly due to extensive damage in the attic and parapet.

A storage area at the back of the deli was also heavily damaged and there is smoke and water damage throughout the store. The barbershop and apartment have minor smoke damage. The apartment residents displaced by the fire are receiving assistance from their insurance company.