An early morning fire that ripped through a used car dealership and car wash in Surrey is being considered suspicious, police say.

Winds fanned the flames at DJ Automarket on King George Boulevard near 24th Avenue after the fire broke out just before 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

John Lehman, assistant chief of Surrey Fire Service, says crews were forced to abandon plans to save the building and instead focus on keeping the blaze from spreading.

“It’s a wind driven fire, the wind is pushing the fire through the building and making it difficult for the crews to access,” Lehman said.

Twenty-six crew members and seven trucks were at the scene to control the two-alarm fire, which also damaged a car.

The fire was brought under control before 6 a.m., but the structure is badly damaged and several suites above the business are gutted.

No one was injured in the blaze. It is believed a couple and their pets living in a suite above the dealership made it out okay.

An investigation is ongoing to determine if the fire began inside the building and spread to cars outside, or if the blaze originated in the vehicles.

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Sheila Scott