A passerby spotted the fire at the Ironstone Village Center on Stokes Road shortly before 2:00 a.m. and called police.
Fire officials tell Action News there were no hydrants in the area, so the water had to be trucked in.
The blaze was under control about an hour later, but the center of the shopping strip, including two restaurants, was heavily damaged.
One firefighter was taken to Virtua Memorial Hospital for minor injuries.
The cause of the fire is now under investigation.
