A massive fire blazed through the night and into the morning Friday in Nicaragua's largest market.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, which burned as many as four blocks of the sprawling Oriental market in Managua, said to be Central America's largest open-air market.

Burning thousands of shops, the blaze put a damper on Managua's celebrations of the capital's patron saint, Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

Police Chief Aminta Granera told TV Channel 2 the fire was controlled as of mid-day Friday after burning for 14 hours with a thick gray plume of smoke over Managua.