Kelowna fire crews say an early-morning blaze that destroyed three businesses at the North Gate Plaza on Harvey Avenue appears to be suspicious.

No one was injured, but damage could top more than $1 million after flames ripped through Gerrick's Cycle, Jammers liquor store and a weight-loss office. A nearby pet store was also evacuated.

Sixty firefighters were needed to knock down the flames, which broke out at around 2:30 a.m. PT on Monday.

The cause is under investigation, but assistant fire Chief Brian Collier said it appears to have started in pallets at the rear of the cycle shop.

"Right now we are treating it as suspicious," said Collier. "There is no heat source that we can identify in the area origin to say how it started, so investigators will be on the scene for the majority of today and possibly tommorrow."