A huge fire destroyed eight businesses in Natick as it burned for several hours early Monday.

Firefighters were called to the row of shops at East Central and South Main streets near Natick Center around 1:20 a.m. and found heavy fire in the basement of the King Wok Chinese restaurant.

“It was more of that blackish smoke and it looked like there was a fire inside,” said Brandon Olsen who called 911. “At one point you could be like 20 feet away from something and you couldn’t even see it.”

Acting Natick Fire Chief Daniel Dow said the complex, which was built in 1900, holds seven other businesses. It will now all be torn down.