Firefighters and members of the public tackled a blaze at a church community building in Southampton yesterday evening.

The fire caused extensive smoke damage to the two-storey community services building which is used to distribute food and clothing to needy people.

Bermuda Institute employee Karen Tucker said that she had stepped outside the school when she noticed the blaze.

"I just happened to turn left and thought 'Orange. That's not right.'

"I ran back to the building and knocked on the window, telling them to call 911."

Before firefighters could arrive on the scene, teachers and parents grabbed fire extinguishers and attempted to fight the blaze. Reggie Raynor and his cousin, Ervine Raynor, ran from Raynor's Gas Station across the street to try to extinguish the fire.

"We just saw the smoke, and I grabbed the extinguisher. It was just a reaction," said Reggie Raynor. "Every time I used (the extinguisher), the fire just flared up. We just did the best we could. I was just grateful we had a pretty good size fire extinguisher."

Ervine Raynor said that more than 100 people were watching the porch burn.

"They were just standing there," he said. "I ran around the back and tried to get in the building to make sure there was nobody inside. By the time I got there, it was full of smoke. I checked three rooms, but no one was there."

Thirteen-year-old Bermuda Institute student Dominique Hill said that he was in the computer lab when he heard people shouting "fire."

"People were grabbing their cameras and their BlackBerries. Mr. Raynor ran over there like a beast with an extinguisher."

Seven minutes after the call, a dozen firefighters attended the scene. According to Lt. Wenda Roberts of the Bermuda Fire Service, it did not take long to extinguish the flames which were mainly confined to the porch area of the structure, which is located on the Bermuda Institute school site.

A total of 12 firefighters were involved in tackling the incident, with two support officers, two fire appliances and two support vehicles.

"The fire was contained in the porch area and it was smoke and heat damage through the rest of the building," said Lt. Roberts. She added that the cause of the fire was under investigation last night and it was too early to say what that was.

According to Police Inspector Christopher Clarke, a woman was seen smoking on the porch shortly before the fire.

Dr. Lois Tucker, Principal of Bermuda Institute, attended the scene. She said: "It seems the building is totally smoke damaged and ruined. It's actually the community services building which is next to the school. It's the community service wing of the Seventh Day church where people can get relief with items such as food and clothing.

"We do not know what caused the fire at this stage, it's too early, but it doesn't look like something that would have started on its own. It started in the porch area and all we see right now is a mass of blackness the windows are blacked out. They will not be able to conduct any activities from the site."