Firefighters tackle London restaurant blaze

11 July 2016 by Neil Gerrard

A fire broke out at a restaurant in London's Chinatown yesterday, sending smoke billowing through Soho.

The blaze damaged part of the basement kitchen of the Wan Chai restaurant on Gerrard Street as well as the restaurant's extraction system between the ground floor and the roof.

The roof itself was also badly damaged, according to the London Fire Brigade.

A total of six fire engines and 35 firefighters were called to the fire, and 10 people had left the building before the Brigade arrived. Fortunately there were no injuries.

Station Manager Lisa Hicks who was at the scene said: "When crews arrived they were faced with a fire in the basement kitchen which they quickly extinguished. The fire also affected the restaurant's ducting and roof and firefighters worked hard in hot conditions to prevent it from spreading to neighbouring buildings."

The Brigade was called out just after noon on Sunday 11 July, and the fire was under control by 15:24. Crews from Soho, Euston, Dowgate, Whitechapel, Chelsea and Paddington fire stations were at the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.