A fire destroyed an apartment behind Hammerhead Beach Bar in Fernandina Beach. The Fernandina Beach Police Department is calling the blaze suspicious.

The fire broke out about 4:18 p.m. Saturday at 2033 Beugnet Road, according to the Fernandina Beach News-Leader, which first reported the investigation. Police confirmed the fire in a news release and labeled it suspicious.

Police await state fire marshal's ruling

Police Chief Jeff Tambasco told the News-Leader the case remains an active investigation. The department is waiting on the state fire marshal's office to determine the fire's cause.

"We're still waiting for the fire marshal to make a determination," Tambasco said.

The fire marshal's finding will shape what charges, if any, investigators pursue. No timeline for that determination has been announced.

Few details released on injuries, damage

The police news release did not say whether anyone was inside the apartment when the fire started. It did not address whether the fire caused injuries or whether any residents were displaced. The department also did not identify which fire crews responded or how many units arrived on scene.

Hammerhead Beach Bar, at 2045 S. Fletcher Ave., has operated near the fire site since 1986. The bar sits on a separate parcel from the apartment address on Beugnet Road. The police release did not address whether the bar's operations were affected.

How to submit an anonymous tip

Police are asking the public for help. Anyone with information about the fire can submit an anonymous tip to First Coast CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477) or through the organization's website. Tips are assigned a confidential number, and callers remain anonymous throughout the process, according to CrimeStoppers.

Tips that lead to an arrest are eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000, according to the CrimeStoppers website. That figure reflects the organization's general reward structure for criminal activity in Nassau County, not a case-specific amount.