XPZ Supermarket Catches Fire Again Nearly Two Years After Reopening
XPZ Supermarket’s Sir Sydney Walling Highway location has been destroyed by fire, nearly two years after the business reopened following a devastating blaze at its original building.
XPZ Supermarket is facing another fire at its Sir Sydney Walling Highway location, nearly two years after the business reopened following the destruction of its original building in a major 2021 blaze.
Firefighters responded to the supermarket on Friday morning, September 25, 2026, after an electrical fire originating from the kitchen sent smoke through the business.
Antigua. News is on the scene as firefighters work to bring the situation under control.
The extent of the damage and whether anyone was injured have not been confirmed.
The latest incident comes at a striking point in XPZ’s history.
The supermarket’s original building was destroyed by fire in June 2021, causing an estimated EC$10 million in losses and putting dozens of employees out of work.
That fire was later determined to have been deliberately set. Former employee Tianzhao “Alex” Feng eventually pleaded guilty to arson in connection with the blaze.
XPZ subsequently began rebuilding at the same Sir Sydney Walling Highway location, eventually returning with a much larger supermarket.
The rebuilt store officially opened to the public on October 18, 2024, more than three years after the original building was destroyed.
That reopening marked a major return for the business, which had rebuilt following the devastating 2021 fire.
Now, less than two years later, firefighters have once again been called to the supermarket.
While the latest fire has been identified as electrical and originating from the kitchen, authorities are expected to assess the circumstances and determine the full extent of the damage.
There is currently no information linking Friday’s incident to the circumstances surrounding the 2021 fire.
Antigua.News is continuing to monitor the situation from the scene and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
What matters now
- XPZ goes on Fire
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When the smoke cleared at XPZ Supermarket on Friday, little remained of the business that had fought its way back from a devastating fire just five years ago.
The supermarket on Sir Sydney Walling Highway was destroyed in the blaze, leaving behind remnants of the rebuilt store that reopened less than two years ago. What began on Friday morning as reports of smoke from a fire believed to have started in the kitchen became another major loss for the business. Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the fire or release a damage assessment.
For XPZ, the scene carries painful history. Its original supermarket was destroyed by fire on June 1, 2021. Losses were estimated at EC$10 million, and nearly 60 employees were left out of work. A former employee, Tianzhao “Alex” Feng, later pleaded guilty to arson in connection with that fire. There is no reported link between the circumstances of the 2021 blaze and Friday’s fire.
The owners began rebuilding at the same location in late 2022. After more than three years away, XPZ opened a larger store to the public on October 18, 2024. Its return had been a hard-won milestone for the business and the workers affected by the first fire.
Now the supermarket faces the aftermath of another devastating blaze. As the dust settled on Friday, the scale of the destruction was clear, but the full financial loss, any impact on staff and whether anyone was injured had not yet been confirmed.
XPZ Supermarket’s Sir Sydney Walling Highway location has been destroyed by fire, nearly two years after the business reopened following a devastating blaze at its original building.
Firefighters responded on Friday morning after smoke began spreading through the supermarket. The flames later engulfed the entire building, leaving it a total loss.
Initial reports suggested the fire started in the kitchen and may have been electrical, but authorities have not confirmed the cause. There has also been no confirmation of injuries.
XPZ’s original building was destroyed by fire in June 2021, causing an estimated EC$10 million in losses and putting dozens of employees out of work. Friday’s fire marks another devastating setback for the business and its workers.