Dubai: A fire erupted at the Karachi Darbar restaurant's Karama branch, sending customers scampering for safety and briefly shutting the popular outlet early on Wednesday night.
A Dubai Civil Defence spokesperson told Gulf News that the fire was minor. "It’s a minor fire and nobody was hurt. Firefighters of the Karama station controlled the fire."
The cashier at the restaurant told Gulf News that the staff members did not see the fire, which broke out in the chimney, initially.
"People from outside told us about smoke and fire coming out of the chimney (used for preparing chicken tikka). We immediately called the police and fire department."
He said there were only two families dining at the restaurant at that time.
"They had finished having tea and snacks. We told them to leave immediately and all of us also rushed out."
S. Azaan, a shopkeeper working in a building three blocks away in the same complex, said he saw the smoke from his shop around 6.35pm.
"When I reached there the fire was spreading to the AC and signage of the restaurant. But the firefighters put it out by 7pm. I left only after that. They were still cooling the affected portion of the building."
The cashier said the restaurant reopened after 8pm.
"We were given permission to sell everything else but told to stop the sale of chicken tikka. The chimney was cleaned a few days back.
But, unfortunately this happened," he added.
