Fire officials say they’re not sure when dozens of inmates will be able to return to an eastern New Brunswick prison following a blaze Wednesday.

Crews have been on scene at the Southeast Regional Correctional Centre in Shediac, N.B., for more than 24 hours as the office of the fire marshal searches for clues.

There was a great deal of damage to the second and third floors of the provincially-run facility, forcing officials to move inmates across the province.

“They've been moved safely. There's no danger to the public. Nobody was injured,” says New Brunswick Minister of Justice and Public Safety Dennis Landry.

While the province confirmed the fire happened in an area used by staff and not inmates, it quickly became apparent Thursday morning they won't return anytime soon.

“The fire damage is probably contained to about the size of a regular two-story house, but in terms of water damage, there's extensive damage to a large part of the building,” says Capt. Julien Boudreau of the Shediac Fire Department.

Boudreau says it will likely be weeks or months before the building is habitable again.

The cross-province inmate transfers also led to many missing court appearances in Moncton Thursday morning. All court appearances for Shediac inmates have been cancelled for Thursday and Friday.

Local lawyer Robert McKee says confidentiality rules make it difficult for lawyers to track where the inmates have been sent. He says they now have to wait until their clients call them.

“Phones have been off the hook for the last 24 hours, from concerned parents wondering where their child will be sent, as well as some clients finally getting through to us,” McKee says.

The $36.4-million building was built in 2012 to hold up to 180 adult offenders. It had additional mental health, medical and dental units on site. Justice Minister Denis Landry says it is still too early to say what the fire will cost.

The province says the cause is still unknown, but the provincial fire marshal and senior correctional staff are still on site.

When asked about what will happen to the jail's 107 staff members in the coming weeks, the Department of Justice said they are working on plans to return to a near-normal routine as soon as possible.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.