A demolition team began knocking down the Poundstretcher store in Blackwood.
The Poundstretcher store in Blackwood is being demolished following a blaze in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service say the cause of the fire was bins being set alight.
Fire crews were called out at around 2 o'clock this morning.
Officers say refuse bins were on fire and this had spread to the store room at the back of the shop.
Due to safety concerns the High Street was closed and the electricity supply to a number of shops was cut. Structural engineers were called out to assess the safety of the building.
The building on Blackwood High Street was demolished on safety grounds.
Blackwood retail worker: 'Fire crews did a brilliant job'
Crews will spend the rest of the day dampening down the building
A Blackwood employee who works at the store next to PoundStretcher, which caught fire in the early hours of this morning, said crews did 'a brilliant job' in tackling the blaze.
Nicola Lambert said crews had managed to contain the flames so the fire didn't spread, but her shop had suffered some water damage following the incident.
"We'll work hard to open again," she said.
"It was a bit of a shock - it wasn't what I was expecting when I got up this morning."
Viewer's picture of the Blackwood fire earlier this morning Credit: Sam HamerViewer's picture of the Blackwood fire earlier this morning Credit: Sam HamerA plume of smoke drifted across Blackwood. Credit: Sam Hamer
Scene of the fire at Blackwood this morning at the town's Poundstretcher store. Credit: Viewer's picture / Sarah Evans
The fire service say investigators will be arriving at the scene of this morning's blaze at Blackwood's Pound Stretcher store shortly to begin an investigation into the blaze.
Crews will spend the rest of the day dampening down the building say officers.
The damage is evident in this photo from our reporter Hannah Thomas Credit: Hannah Thomas/ITV NewsThe fire started in the early hours. Credit: Hannah Thomas/ITV News
