Dozens of firefighters worked to bring the blaze at the Kemblawarra Road workshop under control and prevent it spreading to neighbouring businesses. 

Emergency services were alerted to the fire by numerous triple-0 calls just after 2pm.

Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Greg Houston said initial reports suggested a shopping complex on Kemblawarra Road was alight. 

"We responded a large number of resources due to the number of calls that we'd received," Insp Houston said.

On arrival, crews spotted smoke billowing from a building at the rear of Fantastic Furniture. 

Crews were able to contain the fire to the mechanics workshop and bring it under control in about 50 minutes.

"It appears at this stage that's the only building affected by the fire," he said.

"We had employees from the nearby shopping complex and a large number of shoppers evacuated."

Among those evacuated was a Fantastic Furniture employee. 

"A customer came into the store, because it looked like our shop was on fire, and was screaming for everyone to get out," the employee, who didn't want to be named, said. 

"There was a little bit of panic going on ... it was chaos with all the fire brigades turning up and the police and everything."

The store has been closed while fire crews declare the area safe.

Firefighters are expected to remain on scene for some time to ensure it is fully extinguished, with 

HAZMAT crews are keeping a close eye on gas cylinders inside the workshop. 

"Due to the nature of the business that was alight ... there were a large number of cylinders there," Insp Houston said.

"The HAZMAT crew are assisting us with monitoring the temperature of those cylinders to ensure there are no further explosions." 

An onlooker, Dave Baxter, told the Mercury he heard "a bit of a boom" and saw black smoke billowing from the building.

"In the case of a couple of minutes, it just [went] straight up," Mr Baxter, from Albion Park said.

"It was pretty quick."

The cause of the fire is being investigated.