A North Seattle restaurant and market is reeling from a natural gas explosion Thursday morning that damaged the business but did not result in injuries.

Around 7:30 a.m. Thursday, the Seattle Fire Department responded to a blaze at Take 5 Urban Market in Ballard. The fire, which only damaged the Take 5 building, was the result of an accidental natural gas explosion, the Fire Department confirmed Thursday afternoon. The building was empty at the time of the explosion and subsequent fire, and nobody was injured.

In addition to the building being vacant, “nobody was outside when the windows blew out from the gas leak,” said Take 5 co-owner Rebecca Rouleau. “We’re grateful nobody was hurt at all,” she said, and “right now we’re just trying to process.”

Rouleau and her husband and co-owner, chef Bryan Vietmeier, spent Thursday in the unit next door to the market, receiving “hundreds of texts and emails” from friends and neighbors, as well as in-real-life hugs from customers. A fundraiser is in the works to help the rebuilding effort, Rouleau said.

Although the explosion blew out the building’s windows, the structure remains sound, Vietmeier said Thursday. And while the interior “is a complete loss,” he explained, “we may be able to refabricate some of the equipment.”

The couple said they’re already looking at next steps and that they’re eager to start the restoration process.

“The goal is to fix it up and reopen as soon as possible,” Vietmeier said.

Take 5 was opened in January 2009 by Richard and Rhonda Aspen. It quickly became known in the neighborhood for its sandwiches and “mac and cheese on steroids,” made by Rhonda Aspen’s brother, Vietmeier. The Aspens retired in December, selling the business to Vietmeier and Rouleau.

Last year, the market’s breakfast sandwich made our food writer’s list of her favorites in Seattle . In addition to sandwiches, the market sells soups, drinks, sweets and sundries.