SYDNEY - A fire broke out in an office building in the Sydney central business district on Tuesday afternoon, causing chaos and the evacuation of 100 workers.
In dramatic scenes, dark smoke billowed from the seven-story complex on the busy George Street before flames raced up an exhaust flue and onto the roof just before 4pm AEST.
Firefighters told the Sydney Morning Herald the blaze started in the Emperor's Choice Chinese restaurant.
"The fire's occurred in a downstairs area in a restaurant and has travelled up the chimney, or the flue, up the outside and onto the roof," Fire & Rescue NSW Superintendent Ian Krimmer said.
Shocked onlookers took photos from other buildings and posted them to social media.
Another photo of the Building Fire on George Street/Jamison Rd Sent to us by Taemar Handes on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/SFjMzrX9Ka— 702 ABC Sydney (@702sydney) September 2, 2014
Fire in the building next to ours. @smh pic.twitter.com/YSGjfmj3QA— Rishi (@rishi_syd) September 2, 2014
Fire in Sydney cbd now pic.twitter.com/63taA0sG8w— Jon Mann (@photoaffinity) September 2, 2014
Fire at the people2people Sydney CBD office just now. We're all okay. pic.twitter.com/op3NDV2X5u— people2people (@people2people) September 2, 2014
The fire was extinguished at 4.30pm AEST before workers were allowed back into their offices.